WATERBURY – New robotic technology that has been assisting doctors throughout the state is coming to St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury.
The St. Mary’s Hospital Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the purchase of a da Vinci Surgery Program. The $2.4-million robot will be obtained through an operating lease, which would be paid for over a 48-month payment plan, according to the hospital’s financial arrangement.
The new technology is being pegged for use primarily in urology and gynecology. According to St. Mary’s, the existing market caseload for urology stands at 150, while for gynecology, it is at 312, based on the hospital’s 18-town service area.
Chad Wable, president and chief executive officer of St. Mary’s Health System, told the board members gathered at The Heritage Hotel in Southbury that general surgeons and specialists support this initiative. Already, there are hospitals in the state that use da Vinci Surgical Systems, but the Waterbury area and Litchfield County currently don’t have local access to it.
"I believe with a little bit of a push, we’ll be going to the northwest corner," Mr. Wable said.
Mr. Wable said adoption of the new surgical system is consistent with the hospital’s ongoing efforts to provide quality health care.
"This is truly more than anything about the standard of care," he said. "We need to be a leader of robotics in the state."
Dr. S. Mark Albini, one of the board members present, praised the da Vinci system.
"It’s difficult to not get excited about this technology for a surgeon," said Dr. Albini, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology.
While discussion of the new technology dominated the meeting, the board also talked about the economy’s impact on the hospital. In harsh economic times, it was announced, St. Mary’s unfunded obligation increased from $58 million at the end of 2008 to almost $71 million at the end of 2009.
But, at the same time, the current revenue stands at $246 million, and the hospital aims to reach $310 million 10 years from now, board members said.
Another development was the appointment of a new member of the board who will serve until 2012. The body unanimously approved adding Hartford-area Attorney Robert Roscoe to the list.
