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Political Implications And Robotic Surgery

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The 21st century can rightfully be considered as the era of technology when the new inventions and discoveries will most likely affect all the segments of human life. At this point, some of the breakthrough inventions of our times have been in the medical field. Robotic surgery has become an almost common practice in the advanced medical world and new uses for robotic assisted surgery are everyday set in place. However, such developments also attract different interests and implications. There are certain political aspects to be taken into account when considering the role of robotic surgery in modern day medicine. The price of such equipment ranges from "$1 million to $2.3 million, plus up to $170,000 per year in maintenance, according to Intuitive Surgical" (Torres, 2011). Despite such costs, more and more elite hospitals are investing in such technology. However, such investments come with additional costs not only for the patient but more importantly for the health care system that ensures coverage for complex surgeries. The practice nowadays ensures the coverage of surgeries that are more efficient and more and more often these are the surgeries assisted by robotic devices. However, the government covers these costs similar to the costs of an old fashion intervention although the investments in such instruments are far greater. Therefore, at the political level there is the discussion on whether the government can improve the coverage of such medical expenses taking

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