Organizational impact of 3D printing technology in surgery: which criteria to evaluate?

Abstract

Aim: The evaluation of a health technology determines the clinical and non-clinical value of the technology. Among the non-clinical criteria, evaluation models include the organizational impact (OI) of the technology. The objective of this study is to highlight the types of OIs of 3D printing in a hospital setting. Materials & methods: A panel of 12 experts was assembled based on their knowledge of 3D-printed medical devices and then interviewed individually. Results: A strong consensus was reached for three types of impacts out of the 12 types of OIs associated with medical devices: the need for training, cooperation and communication and the logistics circuit. Conclusion: It seems very relevant to integrate these three types of impacts in future evaluations of 3D printing in healthcare.