(Left to Right) Sutter Delta assistant administrator Tim Bouslog, Sutter Greater East Bay Division CMO Dr. Matthew Dahnke, Sutter Delta CME Dr. Karin Shavelson, Sutter Delta CEO Trevor Brand, Dr. Christopher Solis, Dr. Pascal Fuchshuber and Sutter Greater East Bay Division President Tosan Boyo cut a ribbon to celebrate the arrival of the da Vinci 5 surgical robot in east Contra Costa County.
Robot-assisted Surgery Means Advanced Care is Closer to Home for Local Patients
By Monique Binkley Smith and Cat Valles, Vitals contributors
Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Calif., is the first hospital in East Contra Costa County to implement the state-of-the-art robotic surgical system, the Intuitive da Vinci 5, revolutionizing advanced surgical care in the region and improving access for patients who previously had to travel an hour or more for certain surgical procedures.
At a recent ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the milestone for the medical center and the community, Sutter Delta Medical Center leadership, staff and aligned physicians and Sutter Health division and system leaders were joined by Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal to mark the occasion.
Sutter Delta Medical Center CEO Trevor Brand and Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal
“This is a phenomenal investment on the part of Sutter Health that will benefit our residents in Eastern Contra Costa County for years to come,” said Sutter Delta CEO Trevor Brand. “Our new da Vinci 5 will enable our physicians to deliver a range of minimally invasive surgeries to our patients right here in our own community.”
“This type of technology is innovative…it builds community because people can come and get the type of care [at Sutter Delta] they would have to go somewhere else for,” said Mayor Bernal.
The da Vinci 5 robotic surgery system represents a groundbreaking advancement in minimally invasive surgery, featuring more than 150 design improvements for enhanced precision, better instrument handling and advanced 3D HD visualization. Minimally invasive surgery has been shown to help reduce recovery times, minimize scarring and improve patient outcomes with sustained benefits.
“With this new technology, we’re able to improve care and outcomes for our patients at Sutter Delta,” said Dr. Christopher Solis, chair of Sutter Delta’s Department of Surgery and a surgeon with Sutter East Bay Medical Group.
Robotic-assisted surgery has been demonstrated to generally result in fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and dramatically reduced post-operative pain for patients, which typically means patients need less narcotic pain medication. Patients are also often able to return home faster than ever before.
“With the DV5 system in place, our surgical teams are well-equipped to handle complex cases close to home while providing the highest standard of care and safety to our patients,” said Sutter Delta Chief Medical Executive Dr. Karin Shavelson.
As Sutter Delta’s program expands, the new robotic system will allow the hospital’s surgical teams to handle more complex procedures in specializations including colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, general surgery, urology, gynecology and gynecologic oncology.
“This is a huge win for our community, and we’re proud to be the first in Eastern Contra Costa County to bring this DV5 and all its capabilities to our patients locally,” Brand said.
The first surgery at Sutter Delta using the new da Vinci 5 is scheduled for June.
