New Brunswick, New Jersey, August 18, 2026
Johnson & Johnson has published a new Future of Digital Surgery report aimed at defining the emerging field of surgical intelligence and identifying the foundations needed to bring data-driven innovation into surgical care. The report draws on insights from more than 40 senior leaders across healthcare, technology, policy and investment, alongside a review of more than 100 academic, clinical and industry publications. Johnson & Johnson said the report provides a common framework for understanding how connected surgical data can generate actionable insights across the perioperative pathway, from preoperative planning through intraoperative execution and postoperative recovery.
Report Defines Surgical Intelligence Framework
The report describes surgical intelligence as clinical knowledge generated when multimodal data from across the surgical journey are connected and analyzed to support clinical decision-making and operational performance. This approach moves beyond simply collecting surgical data by focusing on how information from different stages of care can be transformed into useful insights. According to Johnson & Johnson, advances in artificial intelligence, computing and connected technologies are increasing the ability of healthcare systems to generate and use these insights. The company believes connecting data across the perioperative pathway could help create a more integrated approach to surgical care while supporting clinicians and healthcare organizations with information relevant to both patient care and operational workflows.
Data Governance and Interoperability Key to Progress
A central finding of the report is that advancing surgical intelligence requires more than technology. Johnson & Johnson highlights the need for healthcare organizations and technology developers to establish shared definitions, trusted governance models, interoperable data environments and sustainable economic models. The report also emphasizes clinician-centered adoption as an important factor in determining whether digital surgical technologies can move successfully from innovation to broader clinical use. These requirements are particularly important as surgical environments generate increasing volumes of data through imaging, devices, digital platforms and other connected technologies. Establishing reliable frameworks for managing and connecting this information could help prevent data from remaining isolated within individual systems and instead support broader clinical learning
Advertisement
Johnson & Johnson Calls for Collaborative Digital Surgery Ecosystem
The report concludes with a call for healthcare providers, clinicians, industry, policymakers and other stakeholders to work together to establish the infrastructure required for responsible and scalable surgical intelligence. Johnson & Johnson’s broader digital surgery strategy includes technologies and platforms designed to connect surgical data, including its Polyphonic™ digital ecosystem, which supports applications such as surgical video management, case collaboration and procedure planning. The company has also been expanding AI-enabled capabilities across its MedTech portfolio, reflecting a broader shift toward software, connected devices, data analytics and surgical robotics. The new report positions surgical intelligence as an emerging field that could influence how surgical information is collected, interpreted and applied across the entire care pathway, while emphasizing that governance, interoperability and clinician adoption will be critical to its long-term development.
Source: Johnson & Johnson,, press relese
