First in CNY: Robotic Surgery Now Available at North Medical Center

Syracuse, NY (May 11, 2017) – The da Vinci® surgical robot became available for outpatient surgeries at North Medical Center in Liverpool, NY on May 1, 2017. The da Vinci® Surgical System enables surgeons to perform procedures through smaller incisions than procedures that do not use robotics, and this will be the first robotic outpatient surgery available in Upstate New York.

The first outpatient surgeries at North Medical using this minimally invasive robot will include gallbladder, groin and abdominal hernia procedures. St. Joseph’s Health performed more than 300 of these procedures – with robotics – at the hospital last year. Before robotics were available for these surgeries, they were performed in an outpatient setting because of the minimal complexity of these procedures. But they moved to the hospital when robotics became available. Now, many will be able to return to the outpatient setting while maintaining the advancements available from robotics.

“Moving these surgeries to an outpatient facility like North Medical will allow patients to have an easier and faster experience,” said Dr. Kumar, a laparoscopic/robotic surgeon at St. Joseph’s. “This is more efficient and less expensive for both the patient and the healthcare system, but the patients still get the same doctors, nurses, equipment, and high levels of care. And if additional or longer care is needed, we can easily transition an outpatient from North Medical into the hospital.”

Dr. Kumar was one of the first surgeons in the country to use robotics in general surgery more than a decade ago. And once again, St. Joseph’s Health is the first to make the newest advancements in medicine available to this region.

The same doctors who performed these robotic surgeries at the hospital will be performing the procedures at North Medical Center, and many of the same staff who have undergone training and gained years of experience working with robotic surgeries at the hospital will also continue to provide support and care for these procedures at North Medical.

This is part of a national trend, and an active effort by St. Joseph’s Health, to help patients get care in more appropriate settings – such as outpatient surgery centers when hospitalization isn’t necessary.

All general surgeons will have access to the robotics for appropriate outpatient surgeries. While the first surgeries are focused on gallbladder, groin and abdominal hernia procedures, St. Joseph’s Health plans to grow and expand the number and types of outpatient surgeries using robotics.

For more information about da Vinci® Robotic Surgery, visit www.sjhsyr.org/davinci.

About St. Joseph’s Health

St. Joseph’s Health is a non-profit regional health care system based in Syracuse, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York and northern Pennsylvania. From primary to specialty to home care, to our Magnet-recognized hospital, and in collaboration with our community partners, St. Joseph's Health is advancing the health of the communities we serve through an expanding range of healthcare services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. Ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital” and a 15-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is widely recognized for quality, value and delivering the highest patient satisfaction. St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with Franciscan Companies and St. Joseph’s Physicians and is a part of Trinity Health.

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