St. Charles Hospital Celebrates Milestone Achievement of Performing 3,500 Robotic Surgeries

Catholic Health’s St. Charles Hospital announced today a significant milestone of performing 3,500 robotic surgeries since the program started at the hospital in 2019.

Most recently, St. Charles was awarded prestigious accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as a Center of Excellence in Robotic and Hernia Surgery. The two accreditations recognize St. Charles Hospital’s commitment to the delivery of high quality, safe patient care. Achieving the status of an accredited Center of Excellence means that St. Charles Hospital has met both nationally and internationally recognized standards.

“This outstanding milestone of completing 3,500 robotic surgeries, as well as having received prestigious recognition from the SRC, is a true testament to St. Charles’ highly-skilled surgeons trained in minimally-invasive robotic surgery, allowing for much smaller incisions, shorter hospital stay, minimal blood loss and less need for pain medication,” said St. Charles Hospital President James O’Connor. “Using the da Vinci^® and Xi™ systems, we offer robotic-assisted surgeries in various surgical specialties, including bariatric, colorectal, general, gynecological, thoracic and urologic surgery. Residents of Port Jefferson and surrounding areas can have confidence in receiving top-notch care, enabling them to regain their quality of life.”

Larry Hemmerich, 52, a Smithtown, NY resident and senior investigator with New York State Police, was suffering from a debilitating hernia, as well as diastasis, commonly known as abdominal separation. He was referred to Hesham Atwa, MD, a renowned robotic surgeon at St. Charles Hospital, who performed Mr. Hemmerich’s surgery this past December. Mr. Hemmerich expressed his gratitude saying, “I couldn’t be happier with the care I received from Dr. Atwa and his team. The entire St. Charles Hospital staff were amazing. Thanks to the successful robotic surgery, my recovery process was faster, without any complications. I have regained my mobility and have been able to resume my daily routine.”

For more information about St. Charles’ robotic surgery and hernia repair program, call (631) 474-6797.