certified users of the da Vinci system. From these doctors, we hoped to gain knowledge of how the operations proceeded with this system as opposed to a laparoscopic surgery or an open surgery. They would also be able to help us with any research that they or a colleague of theirs had done that was similar to the current research. Furthermore, we planned on approaching them with the prospect of collaboration both on the revision of our surveys and the distribution of the postoperative patient survey. Dr. Hiep Nguyen from the Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA was the first doctor from which we sought collaboration and understanding. Dr. Nguyen offered to participate in the research study; offering not only to provide us with a source of patients’ responses, but also to help obtain Internal Review Board approval from the Children's Hospital for the post-operative patient survey. He provided insight into the costs associated with the da Vinci surgical system, such as the hourly cost of operating room usage, disposable tool inserts, system maintenance, and initial costs. Over the next few months the group met with Dr. Nguyen several more times to help formulate survey questions, capable of eliciting valuable responses. Additionally, the research team observedseveral procedures using the da Vinci system and had the opportunity to operate the system. PERCEPTIONS OF SURGICAL ROBOTICS - Gilbert, Kechris, Marchese, Pelletier - 14 - To gain additional perspectives of the da Vinci system, the group met with Dr. Kethandapatti C. Balaji from UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester, MA. Dr. Balaji helped to review our surveys and give feedback regarding currently held perceptions of robot-assisted surgery. He reaffirmed that there is minimal research regarding perceptions of surgical robotics. Over the summer, we invited Dr. Poston from Boston Medical Center to collaborate on the research project. The research project was presented to the Boston Medical Center researchers working under Dr. Poston at the presentation, critiques of survey questions and feedback regarding research hypotheses were obtained. The research team was assisted by a fellow at Boston Medical Center to request IRB approval in order to obtain to Boston Medical’s post-operative patient population. Pam Sigel was the research group’s corresponding collaborator from St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, MA. She assisted with Institutional Review Board procedures and helped gather patient data. Study subjects were identified by having undergone a robot-assisted procedure at St. Vincent Hospital. Data was collected by retrospectively mailing a hardcopy of the survey and cover letter to the postoperative patients using their home address. The subjects had one month to complete and return the survey using the provided pre-paid envelope, ensuring patient anonymity. Once all data had been collected, Pam forwarded it to us for analysis. Description of Surveys The anonymous surveys consist of approximately twenty questions taking roughly ten minutes to complete. They are designed to quantify an individual’s acceptance of robot-assisted surgery, perceived understanding of the technology, and its consequential impact. Following each question is either a sequential list of possible answers or a scale, each enabling the candidate’s response to be quantifiably captured. The surveys will also gather information on a subject’ssocial- PERCEPTIONS OF SURGICAL ROBOTICS - Gilbert, Kechris, Marchese, Pelletier - 15 - economicbackground, familiarity and proficiency with modern technology, and an understanding of the robot-assisted system in order to better understand the cause of held perceptions.Although the surveys were created for each of these specific populations, they are designed to measure data that is comparable between the three populations. Exemption was granted from the WPI Institutional Review Board (IRB) before proceeding with distribution of any surveys (See Appendix C.2). Modes of Data Collection Patient Survey Subjects for the post-operative patient survey were recruited from St. Vincent’s Hospital while future subjects will be recruited from Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center. Recruitment methods for the post-operative patient survey consisted of identifying all eligible patients, those who have undergone a robot-assisted surgery who are also at least 18 years of age, from a database of existing patients. These patients’ home addresses were used to mail the potential participant a hard copy of the post-operative patient survey and return envelope. If a patient agreed to participate in the study, they would complete the survey and return it to the participating hospital using the provided pre-addressed return envelope. This ensured that the surveys were collected anonymously. Upon receiving the survey results from the hospital correspondent, they were randomly assigned an identification number and their answers were electronically recorded. A total of seventy letters were sent through St. Vincent’s Hospital’s patient database. Of these seventy, we received thirty back, yielding a forty-three percent return rate. The team estimated that Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center patient populations wouldyield forty percent return rates. Practitioner Survey Subjects for the practitioner survey were randomly recruited by