System News

Roper St. Francis Healthcare is expanding its robotic surgery capabilities across its hospitals beginning next week at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital.

The West Ashley hospital received its first DaVinci Xi robot on Jan. 15 and will begin performing robotics cases the week of Jan. 25.

“We’re hiring many new young surgeons, and they receive a lot of training on robotics,” said Gretchen Morin, chief administrative officer of Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital. “There is a lot of advanced technology available, and robotics is leading the way.”

The DaVinci Xi is one of the newest robotic technologies available. The robot moves with the operating room table so it enhances the ease of use of the robot. Its versatility gives it the ability to handle complex surgeries in multiple specialties, including general surgery, colorectal, gynecology oncology, gynecology, and urology.

At Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, the first case will be performed on Jan. 26 by bariatric surgeon Dr. Ken Mitchell, and Dr. Brian Thomas will follow his colleague with a case scheduled on Jan. 27. Dr. Brad Steele will launch robotic urologic cases at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital on Thursday, Jan. 28.

“Robotics is not the answer for all cases, but now we’ll have the ability to do both,” Morin said. “This allows all of our hospitals to operate to their fullest potential.”

Roper Hospital was the first in South Carolina to have a da Vinci robot in 2007, and Roper St. Francis Healthcare has led the region in robotic surgeries. Leaders have been deliberate since 2017 in planning to expand robotic surgery across all hospitals.

A DaVinci Xi will be delivered to Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital on Jan. 20, and a team soon will develop a timeline to start our robotic cases at Mount Pleasant Hospital. Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital added a da Vinci Xi robot to its site last summer, and Roper Hospital is waiting final approval to add two more DaVinci Xis to its facility.