Bioethics Grand Rounds -Alexander Langerman, MD

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Wed, December 19, 2018, 12:00pm
Location: 
University Hospital Ford Auditorium

Transparency in Surgery

Alexander Langerman, MD

The operating room shifted over the last century from a historically open "theatre" to a sequestered space, and the proceedings of surgery became a mystery to those outside the surgical profession. The more recent and increasing societal interest in transparency suggests  professions such as surgery must develop new strategies to engender trust and inform the public and patients about what happens behind closed doors. Simultaneously, video and sensor technology has evolved to enable ubiquitous recording and analysis of surgical activities, creating a new source of data and the potential to reinstate a virtual surgical theatre. Such openness of a previously hidden space has implications for patients and surgical teams. This presentation will discuss the important ethical, technological, and regulatory considerations and challenges of a transition to greater transparency in surgery.