A decade of robotics at AdventHealth

A decade ago, AdventHealth introduced the area’s first surgical robot in Palm Coast. Today, this program has grown to include a fleet of 17 robotic surgery devices across the AdventHealth East Florida Division, offering patients robotic surgical procedures in multiple specialties.

“Being among the first in our community to use robotic surgery and seeing the progression to where we are today – it has been an incredible journey,” said Dr. Steven Brown, a gynecologist at AdventHealth Palm Coast and one of the area’s first physicians to use the technology locally. “When I reflect on how far we’ve come, it gives me a great sense of pride and I am grateful for the lives we have impacted.”

With hospitals in Daytona Beach, DeLand, New Smyrna Beach, Orange City, Palm Coast, and Tavares, the AdventHealth East Florida Division has invested over $14 million in the last decade to grow its robotic surgery program.

In 2023 alone, 2,000 patients benefited from these advanced procedures using the da Vinci robot. In 2024, that number jumped to almost 2,800 patients across a wider variety of surgeries, and often on an outpatient basis or with just an overnight stay.

Within the East Florida Division:

• AdventHealth’s 10 da Vinci Xi robotic surgical systems are used for general, urologic, gynecologic and thoracic procedures. It helps doctors perform surgeries with tiny cuts, rather than big ones – using the precise robot to help in surgeries. This means people can recover faster and with fewer complications. For example, it can help surgically treat a prostate, a uterus, or parts of the intestines.

• The hospital system’s two Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platforms are used for surgical biopsies deep within the lung, which can be challenging to reach and can help diagnose cancer earlier.
• AdventHealth’s three MAKOrobotic surgical arm systems are used for hip and knee total joint replacements.
• AdventHealth Surgery Center Blue Springs in Orange City’s VELYS robot from Johnson and Johnson for total joint replacements.
• AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway’s aquablation therapy uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to treat enlarged prostates.

The technology behind robotic surgery

Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive technology with a track record of improved outcomes and better patient experiences in certain procedures, compared to traditional open surgeries, and it gives doctors more precision, flexibility and control.

“The surgeon is completely in control of the operation,” said Dr. Stephen Knych, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Fish Memorial and executive leader for AdventHealth’s company-wide, robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery task force. “The robot doesn’t make a single movement that the surgeon doesn’t also make. Rather, the robotic technology precisely mimics the physician’s movements in surgery.”

With a camera and robotic arms that connect to a console near the patient, the robotic technology gives surgeons a magnified, 3D-view inside the body. And because the robotic instruments can provide a much greater range of motion than the human hand, the technology enables incisions to be very small and precise, leading to faster recovery and better experiences for the patient.

Knych is the executive sponsor, designer and leader of AdventHealth’s company-wide robotic surgery program, which began with six hospitals in 2016 and now includes 42.

The rise of robotic surgery within AdventHealth has not only provided better patient experiences, but also enhanced the range of available surgical procedures.

The rise of robotics within AdventHealth’s East Florida Division

Each hospital within the East Florida Division is driving remarkable growth in advanced robotic surgery.

For example, AdventHealth Daytona Beach is home to one Ion system and three da Vinci Xi systems with 13 trained da Vinci surgeons across seven specialties.

“Robotic surgery isn’t just technology - it is transforming how we care for patients,” said Dr. Patrick Mangonon, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. He recently completed his 500^th robotic chest procedure at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, and within the last year, he started performing cardiac ablation surgery robotically to treat patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.

“With every procedure, we’re improving outcomes and giving patients the best chance for recovery,” Mangonon added.

At AdventHealth Palm Coast, general surgeon Dr. Abubaker Ali put Flagler County on the map during November’s prestigious Robotic Surgery Collaboration Summit, hosted by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Ali shared how the hospital launched a 24/7 robotic surgery program in just seven days – a feat that impressed global leaders in the field.

“For our team, this is about equity of care,” Ali explained. “Every patient deserves access to the most advanced surgical options, regardless of whether it is 2 pm or 2 am.”

Ali and his team are also introducing highly advanced robotic procedures to the area, including surgeries on the pancreas, spleen, adrenal gland, and liver.

In Lake County, AdventHealth Waterman is also leading the way, performing minimally invasive heart surgeries robotically.

Dr. Gary Allen, a cardiothoracic surgeon at AdventHealth Waterman, is using the da Vinci robotic system to perform bypass surgery for blocked arteries, left atrial appendage closure to reduce stroke risk, and pericardial window surgery to drain excess fluid around the heart.

“Patients and their families no longer need to leave the area for life-saving robotic cardiac surgeries,” said Allen. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone has access to top-quality cardiovascular surgical care right here at home.”

In West Volusia County, AdventHealth Surgery Center Blue Springs in Orange City is the first Ambulatory Surgery Center in AdventHealth’s East Florida Division to use the VELYS robot from Johnson and Johnson for total joint replacements. In November, the team performed their first total knee replacement.

“We are proud to offer these sophisticated technologies, which have truly revolutionized patient care,” said Shyroll Morris, Chief Strategy Officer for the AdventHealth East Florida Division. “Expanding our robotics program is not just about innovation – it is about helping people get back to the lives they love, right here in their own community.”

AdventHealth is planning for future

Looking to the horizon, AdventHealth continues to expand its robotics program and invest in additional technology to become a destination for patients.

In 2025, the East Florida Division will establish a comprehensive robotic committee to further enhance and streamline the robotics program across the seven area hospitals and five ambulatory surgery centers.

For example, inspired by AdventHealth Palm Coast’s 24/7 robotic surgery initiative, AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach has a similar program and its Foundation has invested nearly half a million dollars to grow the local orthopedic robotics program.

“As we continue to grow our robotics capabilities, we will offer more sophisticated procedures, ensuring that our patients receive the highest standard of care with the most advanced surgical technologies available,” said Knych.