Surgical software has the potential to transform patient care, improve surgical outcomes, boost hospital efficiency, and enhance safety in the operating room. However, foundational challenges continue to hinder its widespread adoption and effective use, according to a new report by Johnson and Johnson MedTech.

The report, titled “Surgical software: what’s next in connected surgery,” highlights strong consensus among clinicians that global data standards and interoperability are key to unlocking the benefits of surgical software, from improved care to reduced costs.

To assess the current state of surgical software, Johnson and Johnson MedTech commissioned a survey of nearly 700 clinicians across 600 surgical facilities in 15 countries.

 “This report confirms what we regularly hear from surgeons, who know that data-driven surgery will improve healthcare but are frustrated with the experience,” said Shan Jegatheeswaran, Global Head of Digital, Johnson and Johnson MedTech.

“This isn’t just about software – it’s about what happens when every part of the operating room can finally speak the same language. The future of surgery requires a new kind of connection in which people, data, and tools move in synch to deliver better care.”

The report concluded that optimising the impact and adoption of surgical software will require better clinician access to patient data at the point of care and data sharing across software and hardware solutions.

More than 95 percent of surgeons surveyed agreed that better surgical software would improve care. However, significant obstacles remain.

An overwhelming 97 percent of surgeons reported difficulties accessing or using patient data in a timely manner.  Even in hospitals that have deployed surgical software, the technology is utilised in only about 50 percent of surgical cases due to cumbersome experiences and insufficient connectivity.

Clinicians added that the sheer number of technologies in the operating room only adds to the challenge. The average operating room uses more than seven software solutions, four or more hardware device manufacturers, and more than five data streams. Clinicians described this environment as “a patchwork quilt of different solutions” resulting in a “siloed” and “archaic” experience.

They believe a “unified hub” could provide a trusted environment that not only to accelerate innovation, but also ensures seamless, timely, compliant access to data and insights.

 “In my 30 years as a clinician, I have seen that variability remains a challenge globally across all types of surgery,” said Peter Schulam, Chief Scientific Officer at Johnson and Johnson MedTech.

“Clinicians need new insights that help democratize judgement and improve surgical outcomes. A complete feedback loop across the perioperative experience will advance this next stage of software-enabled surgery, and it requires an open, inclusive approach that puts patients first,” he added.