Robot-assisted surgery will be introduced to more public hospitals following a successful trial at Rajavithi Hospital, in a bid to improve the quality of medical services across the country, according to the Department of Medical Services.
Rajavithi Hospital began offering robotic surgery in 2020, as part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Public Health, said Dr Amporn Benjapolpitak, the head of the department.
Since its introduction, the hospital had performed 664 robot-assisted surgical procedures - including 228 prostate operations, 151 liver operations, 108 obstetric or gynaecology-related procedures, 22 oral neoplasia treatments, and 17 lung operations.
“The public feedback was impressive, with patients reporting shorter periods of recovery and rehabilitation, even after complex surgery,” Dr Amporn said.
The department was keen to expand the service to more hospitals in other provinces.
“We are planning to expand the service so that more people can access this treatment. We will also focus on improving our staff’s ability to operate the equipment, along with improving inter-hospital cooperation to facilitate patient transfers,” she said.