Hospital reaches 2,500 robotic surgeries milestone

In February, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital physicians performed their 2,500th robotic surgery since the program began in 2005. The journey to 2,500 robotic surgeries is an accomplishment in and of itself, but along the way, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital has not only performed thousands of surgeries, but the hospital has become a national leader in the robotic field.

As a leader, Lutheran General is helping other hospitals who are looking to build robotic surgery programs. The comprehensive approach of the administration, physician leadership and nursing staff has led to other hospitals coming to Lutheran General so that as they begin their robotic surgery they can model their program off Lutheran General’s program.

This model has created rigorous guidelines for physicians to follow in order to operate at the hospital as well as a nursing staff who according to Leela Prasad, MD, director of the Center for Robotic Surgery and vice chair of the department of Surgery, play a key role in the hospitals’ outstanding program.

“The nursing staff’s experience in the operating room helps make the patient experience as safe as possible,” says Prasad. “Additionally, nursing leadership has helped to create a time schedule allowing for more physicians to have access to the robot.”

In addition, Lutheran General physicians routinely serve as proctors for other surgeons who are just beginning to perform surgeries across the country. This is because of their reputation as excellent surgeons and the outstanding clinical outcomes which they have achieved.

Today the Center for Robotic Surgery performs over 55 different types of robotic surgery including the most advanced robotic procedures which are not available at other hospitals in Chicagoland. This includes robotic surgery for the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, lung, and esophagus.

For information on robotic surgery visit, www.advocatehealth.com/luth/robotics.