Establishing a Point-of-Care Virtual Planning and 3D Printing Program

Abstract

Virtual surgical planning (VSP) and three-dimensional (3D) printing have become a standard of care at our institution, transforming the surgical care of complex patients. Patient-specific, anatomic models and surgical guides are clinically used to improve multidisciplinary communication, presurgical planning, intraoperative guidance, and the patient informed consent. Recent innovations have allowed both VSP and 3D printing to become more accessible to various sized hospital systems. Insourcing such work has several advantages including quicker turnaround times and increased innovation through collaborative multidisciplinary teams. Centralizing 3D printing programs at the point-of-care provides a greater cost-efficient investment for institutions. The following article will detail capital equipment needs, institutional structure, operational personnel, and other considerations necessary in the establishment of a POC manufacturing program.