Prime Healthcare Services Installs da Vinci Surgical System at Several Hospitals

ONTARIO, Calif., April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Healthcare Services announced today that it now has a da Vinci robotic unit at five hospitals – Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital and San Dimas Community Hospital in California; Providence Medical Center in Kansas; and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Nevada – continuing the health system's efforts to stay at the forefront of medical innovation. Prime Healthcare will be adding additional da Vinci Surgical Systems at other hospitals in the near future.  

"As a Top 15 ranked health system, Prime Healthcare believes that investing in the best technology available improves patient care outcomes and, more importantly, saves lives," said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, Chairman, President and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services. "We are always looking for innovative and effective ways to bring top quality care to the communities we serve."

The da Vinci provides surgeons with the ability to operate using minimally invasive, minute incisions and is known to cause patients less pain and result in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery time.  Surgeons using the robotic units have superior vision. Each unit has four laparoscopic arms, which results in increased precision, dexterity and improved access.  It has achieved positive results in urologic, cardiovascular, vascular, gynecologic surgery and more.  According to Intuitive Surgical, makers of the da Vinci, about 3,000 peer-reviewed studies confirm the clinical effectiveness of the da Vinci Surgical System currently being used in more than 2,025 hospitals worldwide.

"The da Vinci robotic system provides the most advanced and safe technique of minimally invasive surgery," said Dr. Harry W. Ou, who uses the unit Chino Valley Medical Center and will be performing the same surgeries at San Dimas Community Hospital. "This technology enables better visualization and ergonomics for surgeons and faster recovery for the patients."

Prime Healthcare, with 25 hospitals in six states, has spent more than $700 million dollars in equipment and capital improvements at its facilities since 2005. In 2013 alone, Prime Healthcare spent nearly $60 million on technology and equipment.

Prime Healthcare Services

Ontario, CA-based Prime Healthcare Services (www.primehealthcare.com), with a motto of "Saving Hospitals, Saving Jobs and Saving Lives," is one of the largest hospital companies in the nation.

Prime Healthcare was recognized as one of the "Top 15 Health Systems" in the nation in 2013, based on quality of healthcare and patient satisfaction. It is the third time in five years it has been recognized. In 2014, eight Prime Healthcare hospitals were ranked among the "100 Top Hospitals" in the nation by Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters). Prime Healthcare hospitals have earned the award 27 times since 2003.  In addition, 11 Prime Healthcare hospitals earned national recognition as "Top Performer on Key Quality Measures" in 2013 from The Joint Commission, the leading Medicare accreditation organization in the country.

Through their subsidiaries, Prime Healthcare Services and the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation have more than 30,000 employees and own and operate 25  hospitals: Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and West Anaheim Medical Center – in California; Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital – in Kansas; Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center – in Nevada; Lower Bucks Hospital and Roxborough Memorial Hospital – in Pennsylvania; Landmark Medical Center and  Rehabilitation Hospital of  Rhode Island – in Rhode Island; Dallas Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, Knapp Medical Center and Pampa Regional Medical Center – in Texas.

SOURCE Prime Healthcare Services