Robotic technology for surgeries comes to JFK Memorial Hospital

The Desert Care Network is expanding its cutting edge technology for surgery patients in the east valley.

“There’s a new team member here at JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio and its Charlie! This robotic-assisted surgery device will transform the way healthcare is happening in the east valley,” said Gary Honts, CEO of JFK Memorial Hospital.

Officials believe “Charlie Davinci” is the future of minimally invasive surgeries.

“Robotic-assisted surgery is available in the west valley at Desert (Regional). Now in the east valley offering the same level of service to all our patients,” Honts said.

“Charlie” made his $1.2 million debut at this morning at JFK, ready to change lives and speed up the recovery process.

“Patients that come in that usually had a 1- or 2-day stay, now could come in the morning and most cases go home in the same day. Better quality of life for that patient, faster return to work, faster return to their family,” Honts said.

Hospital officials told News Channel 3’s Sarah Trott around 130 patients have gone through the procedure in the past 4 months. All have been “really really successful.”

Samuel Ibrahim, chief of surgery at JFK has completed nearly a hundred procedures. He say this technology has transformed his career.

“20 or 30 years ago the amount of surgeries we could do were very minimal. Go back 30 OR 40 years ago that didn’t even exist,” Ibrahim said.

It’s an upgrade patients are welcoming.

“People like the idea of it. Patients like the idea of less pain, being able to get out of the hospital faster, back to their normal activities. It’s important to explain to patients while this is a robot, it’s under total control of the surgeon at all times,” Honts said.

Robotic surgery is new to the east valley but not in the medical community. Moving toward robotic technology as the future of care.