Community Health Network Shifts Robotic Surgeries to Outpatient Center
Community Health Network has improved surgical capacity and patient flow by moving lower-acuity robotic procedures from its hospital to a dedicated outpatient surgery center.
Community Health Network (CHN) in Indianapolis has addressed hospital bed capacity and surgical flow challenges by relocating some robotic surgeries to the nearby Community Surgery Center North (CSCN).
Previously, CHN's da Vinci robotic systems faced scheduling constraints due to prioritization of high-acuity cases. This limited access for surgeons performing lower-acuity procedures, exacerbating hospital throughput issues. Establishing CSCN allowed patients to receive robotic surgery without hospital admission, aiding continuity of care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relocation has boosted surgical throughput at the main hospital and facilitated the expansion of its hospital-based surgical program. By 2021, hospital surgeries increased by 7%, including approximately 150 high-acuity cases from new surgeons. The CSCN also saw over 800 additional non-robotic procedures annually.
Physician and care team satisfaction has also risen, with surgeons gaining scheduling flexibility and patients benefiting from quicker recovery and discharge. This strategic shift aims to enhance patient access to minimally invasive robotic procedures.