The 18-wheeler vehicle, housing robotic surgical systems in use at the hospital, made its first stop in New England at Saint Francis.
HARTFORD, Conn. (October 8, 2024) – Saint Francis Hospital hosted Intuitive’s Thoracic Oncology Mobile Experience (TOME) for its first stop in New England on Tuesday. A 56-foot long 18-wheeler, TOME contains revolutionary robotic surgical systems developed by Intuitive, and offers a unique way to bring awareness to referring physicians about the robotic surgery systems utilized at Saint Francis and the importance of proactive lung cancer screening.
Physicians from Saint Francis demonstrated these robotic systems, including the Ion endoluminal
system, Da Vinci robotic system, and Cios Spin, which are being utilized as part of the hospital’s cuttingedge Thoracic Oncology program. The program, led by Anil Magge, M.D., Director of Interventional Pulmonology; Stefan Kachala, M.D., Chief of Thoracic Surgery; and Amrita Karambelkar, M.D., Assistant Director of Interventional Pulmonology, along with a team of medical and radiation oncologists and respiratory therapists, is focused on expediting lung cancer care from detection to diagnosis to treatment.
“We are so proud to be chosen by Intuitive to host TOME for the first time in New England,” said Dr. Magge, who is one of the top single users of the Ion endoluminal system across the country. “We are committed to providing the highest level of care to patients in Connecticut, and our Thoracic Oncology program has made a huge difference in outcomes. By using the technologies showcased by Intuitive’s TOME, we are
providing life-changing care to our patients.”
Saint Francis was the first hospital in Connecticut to utilize the Ion system and quickly became one of the national leaders in Ion procedures. The team has completed over 725 procedures since 2022. Ion is one part of the hospital’s Thoracic Oncology program, which allows lung cancer patients to have early detection, biopsy, and surgery to remove the cancerous growth all within a significantly shortened timeframe of just a few weeks. Typically, the journey from when a potentially cancerous lung nodule is detected through surgical removal can last 2-2.5 months, while the Saint Francis program has shortened that to approximately 17 days. The team is committed to taking an innovative approach to patient care to ensure they are eliminating delays and improving the coordination of care with each specialist. This multidisciplinary coordination expedites the patient’s journey to wellness by providing a high level of care seen at major hospitals in Boston and New York City in a setting close to home.
About Saint Francis Hospital
Saint Francis Hospital has been an anchor institution in Connecticut since 1897. Saint Francis is a member of Trinity Health Of New England and Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Saint Francis Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, is a 617-bed hospital, a major teaching hospital, and the largest Catholic hospital in New England. Other Saint Francis entities include the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center, the Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute, the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute of Connecticut, the Smilow Cancer Hospital Yale-New Haven at Saint Francis, Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, and Community Health and Well Being, which includes the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry, and the Greater Hartford Family Advocacy Center. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SaintFrancisCT