John Muir Health Designated as a Mentor Site for Robotic-Assisted Surgery

CONCORD, Calif., Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of John Muir Health's long-standing commitment to innovation and advancement of patient care, the health system's Concord Medical Center has been designated as a Foregut Mentor Site for da Vinci® Xi Surgical System robotic procedures. The foregut is the section of the upper gastrointestinal tract that includes the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and bile ducts.

As one of five foregut mentor sites in the country and the first in California, John Muir Health will host surgeons from across the United States to observe and study robotic-assisted surgeries under the guidance of Wilson Tsai, MD, co-medical director of the Thoracic Surgical Program. Dr. Tsai has performed more than 600 robotic-assisted surgeries. He was selected along with John Muir Health based on a demonstrated commitment to positive patient outcomes and substantial experience in foregut procedures.

"With this designation, our team has the opportunity to share knowledge with other surgeons that will benefit patients in their communities," said Tsai. "For many patients that choose robotic-assisted surgery, the less invasive procedure can mean a shorter recovery time that allows them to go home and get back to their life quicker."

In addition to a more comfortable recovery, robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to make smaller incisions through more precise movements. As a result, there is a reduced risk of infection, blood loss and need for transfusions, along with minimal scarring.

Since becoming one of the first in the Bay Area to launch a robotic-assisted surgery program in 2002, John Muir Health's team of physicians has completed approximately 10,000 procedures in a wide-range of areas spanning gynecology, gynecologic cancer, lung, urologic, colorectal and general surgery.   

To learn more about robotic-assisted surgery at John Muir Health, visit johnmuirhealth.com/robotic-assisted. 

About John Muir Health
John Muir Health is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health care organization east of San Francisco serving patients in Contra Costa, eastern Alameda and southern Solano Counties. It includes a network of more than 1,000 primary care and specialty physicians, more than 6,000 employees, medical centers in Concord and Walnut Creek, including Contra Costa County's only trauma center, and a Behavioral Health Center. John Muir Health also has partnerships with UCSF Health, Tenet Healthcare/San Ramon Regional Medical Center and Stanford Children's Health. The health system offers a full-range of medical services, including primary care, outpatient and imaging services, and is widely recognized as a leader in many specialties – neurosciences, orthopedic, cancer, cardiovascular, trauma, emergency, pediatrics and high-risk obstetrics care.

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SOURCE John Muir Health