Saint Joseph's Launches International College of Robotic Surgery

ATLANTA, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint Joseph's Health System announced that it has launched the International College of Robotic Surgery (ICRS), a non-profit training center for robotic surgical teams from around the world. The launch was announced during the Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS) annual meeting in San Francisco.

"We have seen the tremendous benefits to patients from robotic-assisted surgery since we began our program in 2002," says Kirk Wilson, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Joseph's Health System. "Robotics will become the standard of care and we want to help other surgeons and their surgical teams learn and actively use the technology so they can work with their hospitals to develop strong, viable programs for patients."

Under the leadership of two of the country's leading robotic cardiothoracic surgeons, Douglas Murphy, MD and Sudhir Srivastava, MD, ICRS will provide training for all daVinci Surgical System(R) robotic surgery specialties, beginning with intracardiac and cardiac revascularization, including TECAB.

"ICRS will provide consistent, initial and long term support for surgical teams that isn't currently available," says Dr. Murphy. "Over the last five years, I've trained many surgical teams and it has been tremendously expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, ICRS programs will be available online and using interactive, advanced communications technology with ongoing remote proctoring support until the surgeon and his team feel confident and comfortable with the robotic system."

Recognized as one of the country's top 50 hospitals, Saint Joseph's Hospital has the most comprehensive robotic surgery program in the southeast including performing the most cardiac procedures, as well as offering robotic surgery as an option for urology, thoracic, gynecology and general surgery cases.

For more information, visit the website at www.icrstraining.org or call 678-843-6069.

Editor's Note:

Saint Joseph's, recognized as one of the 50 top hospitals in the country, is the regions premier provider of cardiac and vascular services and is Atlanta's oldest hospital. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1880, today Saint Joseph's is a 410-bed, acute-care hospital recognized as a leader in cardiac, neurologic, vascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, orthopaedic and cancer care, among others. Saint Joseph's offers its patients the latest procedures and treatments by providing its medical staff of more than 750 physicians with research services and the most advanced technology available. Visit the website at www.saintjosephsatlanta.org.

Lynn Peterson
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