Metro East robotic-assisted surgery expands: HSHS’s third da Vinci system
Dr. Scott Crouch (right), general surgeon with HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, performed the first robotic-assisted surgery with the hospital’s third da Vinci surgical system, the da Vinci® 5. (Courtesy of HSHS)
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has recently installed a third robotic-assisted surgical system, the da Vinci® 5, to continue to enhance the surgical offerings and access to patients in the Metro East region.
The minimally invasive robotic surgical system, funded fully by HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Foundation, can be used across a spectrum of procedures for gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.
Dr. Scott Crouch, a general surgeon on staff at St. Elizabeth’s, recently performed the first surgery with the new da Vinci 5 robotic system.
“With three da Vinci systems, we are able to expand access to robotic-assisted surgery for patients across the region,” said Crouch. “This additional capacity helps reduce scheduling delays, provides more flexibility for patients and surgeons, and ensures emergency procedures can be handled with less impact on planned surgeries.”
With robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon operates with enhanced vision and precision and is in 100 percent control at all times. The robot translates the surgeon’s hand movements into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments inside the body. With smaller incisions, there is less scarring and trauma to tissue, leading to a faster recovery.
Patients benefit from the use of the da Vinci surgical systems in the following ways:
- Surgery is minimally invasive, with reduced scarring
- Shorter hospital stays
- Quicker recovery
- Less pain medication is required
“Expanding our robotic surgery program allows more people to benefit from these advances without having to leave the area,” said Chris Klay, president and CEO of HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the HSHS Southern Illinois Market. “We are proud to support our surgeons and care teams by investing in technology that helps deliver the best possible experience for our patients and families.”
St. Elizabeth’s continues to support the expansion of access to surgical services for the community of southwestern Illinois. In 2025, construction began on the northeast side of the hospital’s campus for a new outpatient surgical treatment center and medical office.
This new outpatient surgery center will include four operating rooms and two procedure rooms, along with post-acute rooms and prep and recovery stations. operating rooms and two procedure rooms, along with post-acute rooms and prep and recovery stations.
The medical office will feature space for physical specialty clinics and new providers to serve patients on St. Elizabeth’s campus as well as diagnostic imaging services.
In total, HSHS is investing approximately $50 million to fund the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2027.
For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit steliz.org.
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon is part of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a nonprofit Catholic health care ministry founded in 1875. Dedicated to its mission to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through high-quality Franciscan health care, HSHS clinicians provide exceptional care centered on the whole person. Based in Springfield, Ill., HSHS colleagues provide care in 13 acute-care, children’s and critical access hospitals and home health and hospice programs in central and southern Illinois, and eastern Wisconsin. HSHS is aligned with primary and specialty physicians and advanced practitioners through its owned affiliates HSHS Medical Group and Prairie Cardiovascular, its partnership with Prevea Health, and with many other providers serving on medical staffs. For more information about HSHS, visit hshs.org.
