Banner Health has announced a significant upgrade to its robotic surgery technology, investing in Intuitive’s da Vinci 5 system. This move represents one of the largest investments in robotic surgical equipment by any health system in the United States. The upgrade aims to enhance patient recovery times, reduce complications, and improve overall surgical outcomes.
The new technology will be implemented across Banner hospitals in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, where robotic-assisted surgeries are already performed. The organization will deploy a total of 49 da Vinci 5 robots throughout its network.
Todd Werner, president of care delivery at Banner Health, said, “We must make intelligent choices in our investments to improve the patient experience for the communities we serve. Innovation is a cornerstone of our mission and vision, and I’m proud to see us lead in bringing the latest technology to our patients.”
Dr. Nirav Patel, medical director for surgical and procedural services at Banner Health, commented on the modernization: “This modernization of technology reflects Banner’s unwavering commitment to patient-centered care, safety, surgical excellence and innovation. Innovation isn’t just about technology; it’s about transforming lives and experiences. Standardizing to this industry-leading technology reaffirms our dedication to optimizing surgical care through safety, precision, and efficiency.”
The upgraded systems are designed to give surgeons more precision and better image resolution. These systems convert hand movements into smaller actions inside the body for gentler procedures. According to Banner Health, these improvements can make surgeries up to 20% more efficient and may lead to faster recoveries with less pain for patients. The devices also offer performance analytics and telepresence features that allow real-time case observation among surgeons in different states.
The full rollout is expected by next month.
Banner Health operates as a nonprofit organization with a focus on reinvesting earnings into new technologies and services that benefit local communities (official website). It is one of the largest nonprofit health systems nationally (official website), offering services such as hospitals, academic medicine divisions like Banner – University Medicine, partnerships with leading cancer programs including MD Anderson Cancer Center, health insurance plans, outpatient centers, urgent care locations, home care services and virtual doctor visits (official website). Headquartered in Arizona but operating facilities across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming (official website), Banner Health continues efforts to simplify healthcare access while providing community benefits through advanced technologies (official website).
For more information about robotic surgery or other services offered by Banner Health visit their newsroom or bannerhealth.com.
