Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls has unveiled a piece of equipment that is the first of its kind in Eastern Idaho.
The state-of-the-art technology could provide a brighter outlook for surgical patients.
It's called the Da Vinci SI, but the only resemblance it bears to fine art is its price tag, costing Mountain View Hospital just under $2 million, but employees at the facility say that the improvements in patient care are well worth the cost.
Dr. Ty Erickson, Ob-Gyn: Mountain View Hospital: "There are certain unique procedures that we can now do very efficiently with this type of equipment."
The Da Vinci SI allows doctors to perform surgeries remotely, using a camera and two small clamps that are operated with finger controls and foot pedals.
The tiny clamps make it possible to do laparoscopic surgeries through much smaller incisions.
Erickson: "The smaller the incision, the better it is not only for the patient to recover, but also there's a decreased risk for the patient in terms of complications from that incision down the road. So it's not just a cosmetic issue, it's a true healthcare, patient safety, and patient satisfaction issue."
In fact the SI can increase recovery time by up to 200%.
Hospital officials believe that up to 200 patients that would normally have to travel out of East Idaho to have surgeries preformed can now stay closer to home.
In addition to comfort and convenience, patients may be surprised by their bill as well.
Erickson: "The operating room time and cost may be slightly more, however, length of stay in the hospital, the amount of narcotic medication that's required to keep the patient comfortable, it's basically going to decrease the overall cost."
Mountain View Hospital plans to perform their first surgery using the new system on February 1st
