Robotic Surgery Shows Positive Benefits Robotic Surgery
By Space Coast Daily // December 14, 2011
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA (June 2, 2011) – Holmes Regional Medical Center performed its 100th da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgery on May 11, and data shows positive benefit for patients and reducing costs.
“Congratulations to the OR team and our surgeons – in particular Dr. John Bomalaski and Dr. Andrew Zabinski, who have performed the majority of our cases to date, as we recognize this important milestone,” said Judy Killebrew, Chief Operating Officer of Holmes Regional Medical Center.
“Research indicates that the first 100 da Vinci® robotics-assisted surgeries produced significant improvements for patients and helped to dramatically reduce overall healthcare costs,” said Killebrew.
Two types of procedures —hysterectomies and prostatectomies—performed by surgeons using the da Vinci® robotics-assisted surgery system were tracked. A total of 49 hysterectomies and 31 prostatectomies represented the vast majority of the first 100 procedures performed.
According to the data, the average amount of time spent in the hospital following a robotically-assisted hysterectomy was 44 percent less than the average time spent in the hospital following a non-robotics-assisted hysterectomy.
The average hospital stay for patients who underwent robotically-assisted prostatectomies averaged 37 percent less time in the hospital compared to non-robotics-assisted procedures.
In addition to reducing the amount of time patients spend in the hospital, the analysis highlighted the significant reductions in healthcare costs created by the robotics-assisted surgery program at Holmes.
According to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA), the average cost for one inpatient day in a Florida hospital is approximately $1,800. Using FHA’s estimate, the robotics-assisted surgery program reduced costs by approximately $4,500 per hysterectomy patient and approximately $1,500 per prostatectomy patient.
The total estimated cost savings was $267,000 for just these two procedures alone.
“The data shows what a real difference our robotics-assisted surgery program is making,” said Killebrew.
“It not only is helping patients feel better and recover faster, but also is proving to be an effective tool in the ongoing battle to reduce healthcare costs across the system.”
THE DA VINCI® SYSTEM allows surgeons to perform complex maneuvers with more precision and control than standard laparoscopy.
During robotic surgery, the surgeon sits at a console a few feet from the patient and another member of the surgical staff stands at the operating table with four, jointed robotic arms overhead. The surgeon makes several small incisions and inserts a microscopic camera and miniature instruments through the openings. The camera provides a detailed view of the pelvic cavity on a color monitor, while the robotic arms work with great precision at the surgeon’s command.
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