TidalHealth receives $1 million grant from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware
A portion of the funds will be used to purchase a DaVinci Xi surgical robot console for TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford, Del. The dual training control consoles will be used by TidalHealth’s resident physicians and their proctors in the General Surgery Residency program. Additionally, the grant will support the construction of on-call rooms at the Seaford Hospital for surgical residents, where they can rest and decompress between extended shifts.
“Highmark understands the need to develop and retain the healthcare workforce and acknowledges the unique challenges found in rural areas. We are pleased to support TidalHealth’s Graduate Medical Education program and anticipate its positive impact on access, availability, and quality of care in Southern Delaware,” said Nick Moriello, President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware.
More than 66,000 surgeons in the United States are trained on daVinci robotic techniques for various surgical procedures. The dual console daVinci Xi is the same model used at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury, Md.
Robot-assisted surgery is often taught with the surgical mentor manipulating the instruments at the console and the trainee watching at the patient’s bedside. The surgeon sees the surgical site through a magnified, 3D, high-definition console and controls tiny instruments with greater dexterity and precision while performing the operation.
The daVinci dual console’s benefit is that it allows a mentor to teach with both the surgeon and the resident, each working at individual consoles while viewing and even participating in the same surgery simultaneously.
Of the many advantages of robotic surgery, patients experience smaller incisions, reduced pain, less scarring, faster recovery, and a faster return to daily activities. TidalHealth first introduced physician-guided daVinci robotic surgery to Delmarva in 2007. For the last 17 years, it has remained on the cutting edge.
“With the majority of today’s physicians graduating from medical school with robotic experience, it’s necessary that our surgical residents have the same access during their specialized training with TidalHealth to ensure they can continue to refine their skills and be well-rounded and educated in the latest robotic techniques,” added Steve Leonard, Ph.D., MBA, FACHE, and President/CEO of TidalHealth. “The dual console enables integrated teaching, surgical precision, and advanced supervision during an operative procedure.
BluePrints for the Community, Highmark’s donor-advised fund at the Delaware Community Foundation, has invested over $38 million to the community since its inception in 2007. It was established to increase access to care and reduce healthcare disparities in Delaware.
