Technical Keynote I
Surgical Data Science: Computational Challenges and Future Opportunities
The availability of large amounts of data together with advances in analytical techniques afford an opportunity to make healthcare safer, more effective, more efficient, and more patient-centered. Surgical patient care, in particular, stands to gain through by establishing standardized, evidence-based approaches to the teaching and practice of surgery. For example, recent research has shown that deficiencies in surgical technical skill are correlated with significant increases in patient morbidity and mortality; such deficiencies might be addressed through a more quantitative approach to training and credentialing. Surgeons in training rarely become completely proficient at all of the procedures in their discipline; creating an online “coach” might begin to address some of these learning deficits. However, achieving these goals requires solving a number of technical and organizational challenges. I’ll close by outlining these challenges and suggest a few paths toward overcoming them.