Second Robotic-Assisted Surgical System Expands Access to Care
July 08, 2025
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has recently installed a second robotic-assisted surgical system, the da Vinci® Xi, to continue to enhance the surgical offerings and access for patients in the Southwestern Illinois region.
The system can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multiquadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.
With robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon operates with enhanced vision and precision and is in 100% control at all times. The robot translates the surgeon’s hand movements into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments inside the body. With smaller incisions, there is less scarring and trauma to tissue, leading to a faster recovery.
Dr. Scott Crouch, a general surgeon on staff at St. Elizabeth’s, who has performed over 1,000 robotic-assisted surgeries, shares, “The da Vinci® platform offers two main advantages - the wristed instruments and high-definition 3D visualization. It puts a lot of control into the surgeon’s hands and gives us a lot of advantages over traditional laparoscopic surgical techniques.
“Having multiple da Vinci systems gives our surgical team the flexibility to handle emergency surgeries without disrupting scheduled procedures. If an urgent case comes in, our fully trained, 24/7 on-call team can immediately step in and use the second system.”
Patients benefit from the use of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in the following ways:
New Ambulatory Surgical Center to open in 2027
In addition to adding advanced equipment for inpatient surgeries, in early 2025, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital was approved to construct a new outpatient surgical treatment center and medical office. This new outpatient surgery center will include four operating rooms and two procedure rooms, along with post-acute rooms and prep and recovery stations. The medical office will feature space for physical specialty clinics and new providers to serve patients on St. Elizabeth’s campus as well as diagnostic imaging services. HSHS is investing approximately $50 million to fund the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2027.
For 150 years, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has been a trusted provider of exceptional care to the community.. Additions like new technologies and buildings are examples of the hospital’s commitment to continue to grow this legacy to shape the next 150 years of health care.
To learn more about the robotic-assisted surgeries offered at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit here.
The system can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multiquadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.
With robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon operates with enhanced vision and precision and is in 100% control at all times. The robot translates the surgeon’s hand movements into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments inside the body. With smaller incisions, there is less scarring and trauma to tissue, leading to a faster recovery.
Dr. Scott Crouch, a general surgeon on staff at St. Elizabeth’s, who has performed over 1,000 robotic-assisted surgeries, shares, “The da Vinci® platform offers two main advantages - the wristed instruments and high-definition 3D visualization. It puts a lot of control into the surgeon’s hands and gives us a lot of advantages over traditional laparoscopic surgical techniques.
“Having multiple da Vinci systems gives our surgical team the flexibility to handle emergency surgeries without disrupting scheduled procedures. If an urgent case comes in, our fully trained, 24/7 on-call team can immediately step in and use the second system.”
Patients benefit from the use of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in the following ways:
- Surgery is minimally invasive, with reduced scarring
- Shorter hospital stays
- Quicker recovery
- Less pain medication is required
- A new overhead instrument arm architecture designed to facilitate anatomical access from virtually any position.
- A new endoscope digital architecture that creates a simpler, more compact design with improved vision definition and clarity.
- An ability to attach the endoscope to robotic arm, providing flexibility for visualizing the surgical site.
- Smaller, thinner arms with newly designed joints that offer a greater range of motion than ever before.
- Longer instrument shafts designed to give surgeons greater operative reach.
New Ambulatory Surgical Center to open in 2027
In addition to adding advanced equipment for inpatient surgeries, in early 2025, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital was approved to construct a new outpatient surgical treatment center and medical office. This new outpatient surgery center will include four operating rooms and two procedure rooms, along with post-acute rooms and prep and recovery stations. The medical office will feature space for physical specialty clinics and new providers to serve patients on St. Elizabeth’s campus as well as diagnostic imaging services. HSHS is investing approximately $50 million to fund the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2027.
For 150 years, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has been a trusted provider of exceptional care to the community.. Additions like new technologies and buildings are examples of the hospital’s commitment to continue to grow this legacy to shape the next 150 years of health care.
To learn more about the robotic-assisted surgeries offered at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit here.
Media Contact
Kelly Barbeau
System Director, Communications & Public Relations