From the ground up: understanding the developing infrastructure and resources of 3D printing facilities in hospital-based settings

Abstract

Background 3D printing is a popular technology in many industries secondary to its ability to rapidly produce inexpensive, high fidelity models/products, mainly through layer-by-layer fusion of various substrate materials. In healthcare, 3D printing has garnered interest for its applications in surgery, simulation, education, and medical device development, and 3D printing facilities are now being integrated into hospital-based settings. Yet, little is known regarding the leadership, resources, outputs, and role of these new onsite entities. Methods The purpose of this research was to survey features of North American hospital-based 3D printing facilities to understand their design and utility in anticipation of future expansion. Hospital-based 3D printing labs were recruited through online special interest groups to participate via survey response. Anonymous, voluntary data were collected from 21 facilities over 9 weeks and reported/analyzed in aggregate. Results Of the respondents, > 50% were founded in the past 5 years and 80% in the past decade, indicating recent and rapid growth of such facilities. Labs were most commonly found within large, university-affiliated hospitals/health systems with administration frequently, but not exclusively, through radiology departments, which was shown to enhance collaboration. All groups reported collaborating with other medical specialties/departments and image segmentation as part of the workflow, showing widespread interest in high fidelity, personalized medicine applications. Lab leadership was most often multidisciplinary, with physicians present on nearly all leadership teams. Budgets, personnel, and outputs varied among groups, however, all groups reported engagement in multiple 3D printing applications. Conclusion This preliminary study provides a foundation for understanding the unique nature of hospital-based 3D printing labs. While there is much to learn about such in-house facilities, the data obtained reveal important baseline characteristics. Further research is indicated to validate these early findings and create a detailed picture of the developing infrastructure of 3D printing in healthcare settings.

Navigating the intersection of 3D printing, software regulation and quality control for point-of-care manufacturing of personalized anatomical models

“…Advances in accessible 3D printing technology, in parallel to data handling and integrated storage systems, known in healthcare settings as 'picture archiving and communication systems' (PACS), are enabling hospitals and healthcare facilities to now rapidly translate imaging data out of the digital domain and into the physical domain (Fig. 1) [5]. To produce a 3D printed model from patient scan data, one must first obtain the scan data in a compatible format, such as a DICOM file, generated as the output viewing format from a variety of medical imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Fig.…”

3D Printing in a hospital: Centralized clinical implementation and applications for comprehensive care

“…A recent survey study of hospital 3D printing sites—primarily represented by large, North American, university-affiliated institutions—found that just over half of respondents reported having a single print lab site versus multiple locations, and, of those with a primary administrative department, 67% identified Radiology as the managing group. 3 In our institution, for example, we have adopted a centralized 3D printing lab which is managed by BME. This was chosen due to technical resources within the BME group and strong existing clinical relationships between BME and Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Surgery, and other key users of 3DP technology.…”

“… 1 Although relatively sparse, there is some literature discussing various aspects of regulatory requirements, organizational structure, and considerations for hospital practice surrounding 3D printing. 2 – 4 It can be difficult when planning implementation of a 3D printing operation to consolidate the relevant information and considerations. There is a need for introductory overviews intended not just for advanced medical/technical specialists, but also for others in a hospital organization including administrators, leaders, healthcare providers, and others who may not be as familiar with the details required to adopt this technology.…”

3D printing exposure and perception in radiology residency: survey results of radiology chief residents

“…One such evolving area is 3D printing, which has recently been gaining significant traction in its clinical applications. Within just the last decade, an increasing number of 3D printing labs have been established, typically within large, university-affiliated teaching hospitals [ 5 ]. Clinical applications for 3D printing are broad and range from perioperative planning via procedural stimulation to medical student anatomy education, and the use of 3D printing has led to improvements in quality of trainee comprehension and patient outcomes [ 6 ].…”