Needs Assessment for Computer-Integrated Surgery Systems

The needs of surgeons for computer-assisted systems cannot be satisfied unless their requirements and expectations are known. We determined surgeons' needs for computer-aided systems using group facilitation processes that measure customer wants and needs, including quality function deployment and Kano Analysis. A one-day workshop hosted by the CISST ERC (Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology Engineering Research Center) included thirteen surgeons and eight engineers. The primary goal of the workshop was to determine medical professionals’ needs and expectations at the earliest stages of research and development. Surgeons and nurses from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions participated in the one-day event. The results include an affinity diagram, a prioritized list of wants and needs in the "voice of the customer", and a Kano Analysis of 25 question pairs that reveal exceptional features that can be included in computer-aided surgical systems.