KIMS Hospitals signs MoU with intuitive to launch 25 new robotic surgery programs; Expanding accessibility in Tier 2 & 3 Cities

Hyderabad, October 3, 2024: Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospitals, one of India’s leading corporate healthcare groups, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Intuitive, a global technology leader in minimally invasive care and the pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS).

This collaboration will establish 25 robotic surgery programs featuring da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical systems in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala, with a focus on expanding access to advanced minimally invasive surgical care in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

The da Vinci systems will be deployed in key locations, including Secunderabad, Begumpet, Kondapur, and Gachibowli in Telangana, and Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Rajahmundry, Ongole, Kurnool, Nellore, and Anantapur, In Andhra Pradesh. In Maharashtra, the da Vinci systems will be located in cities including Nagpur, Nashik, and Thane; Bengaluru in Karnataka; and in Kerala at Kannur.

The Robotic Surgery Centre of Excellence will be based out of KIMS-PES Hospital, Bangalore and will provide training for all Robotic Surgeries across specialities to all KIMS branches in India.

KIMS Hospitals is committed to increasing access to quality care through patient-centric systems and processes. Through this collaboration with Intuitive, KIMS Hospitals seeks to enhance the availability of advanced surgical technology across geographies where access has been limited, ensuring that no patient is denied treatment due to economic limitations.

Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. Bollineni Bhaskar Rao, Chairman, and Managing Director of KIMS Hospitals, said, "This collaboration with Intuitive signifies an important step in KIMS Hospitals' commitment to expanding our capabilities and improving patient outcomes through minimally invasive care. By broadening access to advanced technologies like robotic-assisted surgery, we aim to improve care for patients across tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India. In addition, we plan to offer robotic-assisted surgical training to medical students in our associated colleges and institutes, further contributing to the future of healthcare in the region."

Gary S. Guthart, Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive, remarked, "Intuitive is honored to support KIMS Hospitals in achieving their objectives of improving patient care and expanding patient access to high quality, innovative minimally invasive care. Our collaboration aims to bring advanced robotic technologies to areas that may previously have lacked access, aligning with our mission to make high-quality surgical care accessible to a wider range of patients.”

There are currently over 170 da Vinci systems installed across India, with more than 850 surgeons trained in robotic-assisted surgery in specialties such as gynecology, urology, general surgery, and oncology. Collectively, there have been more than 14 million da Vinci procedures performed globally to date, with more than more than 38000 scientific articles referencing Intuitive’s technologies underscoring the safety, efficacy, and benefits of surgery performed with the da Vinci system, including fewer complications and conversions, and faster patient recovery.

Intuitive is committed to driving advancements in surgical care by collaborating with medical associations, government institutions, and private hospitals to expand training, generate local clinical evidence, and optimize healthcare programs.

As part of this collaboration, Intuitive India will provide comprehensive technology training, customer service and support to surgeons and care teams associated with KIMS Hospitals.