The purpose of the current research is to better understand the factors which make an individual willing (or unwilling) to undergo robotic surgery. Though surgical feasibility and provider perceptions are often studied, little research has investigated how patients perceive robotic surgical systems. The current research utilized a two-stage approach by which Stage 1 built a regression equation, and Stage 2 validated the equation. Stage 1 and 2 utilized 1324 and 1335 participants, respectively. All participants, regardless of stage, responded to the same survey where they indicated their willingness to undergo robotic surgery, and answered questions related to their perceptions of the system, demographics, and emotional responses.
Stage 1 used a backward stepwise regression to better understand the twenty-one predictive factors of interest. Eight predictors were significant: perceived value, familiarity, wariness of new technologies, fear of surgery, openness, anger, fear, and happiness. These accounted for 62.7% of the variance in the model. Stage 2 used correlational analyses, a t-test, and a cross-validity coefficient to validate the equation. All tests indicated good fit of the model.
The regression equation and validation indicate that perceived value, familiarity, wariness of new technologies, fear of surgery, openness, anger, fear, and happiness are significant predictors of an individual’s willingness to undergo robotic surgery. These findings are not only useful additions to technology acceptance knowledge, but also to the healthcare field at large.