Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospitals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Intuitive, a global leader in minimally invasive care and robotic-assisted surgery. The agreement focuses on expanding robotic surgery programmes across India, with a Robotic Surgery Centre of Excellence to be established at KIMS-PES Hospital, Bangalore. The centre will provide training for robotic surgeries across specialities to all KIMS branches.
The collaboration will introduce 25 robotic surgery programmes using da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical systems in states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Key deployment locations include cities such as Nagpur, Nashik, and Thane in Maharashtra; Bengaluru in Karnataka; Secunderabad, Begumpet, Kondapur, and Gachibowli in Telangana; and Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. The expansion also extends to Kannur in Kerala.
Through this collaboration, KIMS Hospitals aims to improve access to minimally invasive surgical care in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, enhancing the availability of advanced surgical technology where access has been limited. The collaboration is also intended to ensure that patients are not denied treatment due to economic constraints.
Dr. Bollineni Bhaskar Rao, Chairman and Managing Director of KIMS Hospitals, commented, “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.”
Gary S. Guthart, Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive, remarked, “Intuitive is honoured to support KIMS Hospitals in achieving their objectives of improving patient care and expanding patient access to high-quality, innovative minimally invasive care.”
There are currently over 170 da Vinci systems installed across India, with more than 850 surgeons trained in robotic-assisted surgery. To date, over 14 million da Vinci procedures have been performed globally. As part of the collaboration, Intuitive India will provide comprehensive technology training, customer service, and support to surgeons and care teams at KIMS Hospitals.