Patricia Harkins

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Patricia Harkins is a leading voice in the governance and ethical deployment of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS). Her work sits at the critical intersection of health policy, surgical innovation, and patient safety. She is best known for her systematic analyses of how regulatory frameworks must evolve to keep pace with rapidly advancing surgical technologies. Her most-cited paper, “Robotic surgery governance structures: a systematic review” (2025), has already garnered 3 citations, establishing a foundational benchmark for future policy research in the field. In this work, Harkins traces the trajectory of RAS from the FDA’s first approval of a robotic platform in 2000 to the present, highlighting the urgent need for standardized credentialing, oversight, and outcome reporting. Her contributions are particularly notable for framing governance not as a bureaucratic hurdle but as a necessary scaffold for safe innovation. Harkins’ research is essential reading for clinicians, hospital administrators, and policymakers seeking to implement robotic programs responsibly. By bridging surgical practice with public accountability, she is shaping the future of how high-tech surgery is regulated and trusted.