Florida Hospital Welcomes Dr. Patel to Lead Robotics Institute

Orlando's Bid to Become a Medical Destination Receives Major Boost with Arrival of Internationally Recognized Surgeon, Robotic Institute

CAPTIVA ISLAND, Fla., Jan. 18, 2008 -Vail, Colorado is known for skiing; New York City, New York is known for shopping; and Orlando, Florida is quickly becoming known for medicine and science.

Orlando's journey to become a medical destination will receive another win this weekend at an unprecedented meeting in Captiva Island between the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, and the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.  At the meeting, Florida Hospital will announce that Dr. Vip Patel has accepted the position of Medical Director of the newly established Global Robotics Institute (GRI).

"Florida Hospital's announcement today is another great economic 'shot in the arm' for Central Florida that will help bring new business to our area and put us on the map as the place where patients want to come for their healthcare," said Ray Gilley, president of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.

Patel has personally performed almost 2,000 robotic prostatectomies (minimally invasive removal of the prostate), making him one of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the world.  He also leads one of the world's most experienced robotic surgery teams, which will now join him in Central Florida, and is the Editor in Chief of The Journal of Robotic Surgery.    

"Dr. Patel is an internationally recognized leader in robotic surgery.  His direction will help propel the Global Robotics Institute into the future of robotic surgery and help Orlando become a medical destination where patients from around the world go to seek the latest surgical advancements," said Lars Houmann, president of Florida Hospital and chairman of bioOrlando, a group that aims to stimulate the life science and biotechnology industry in Central Florida.

In addition to his role at GRI, Patel has been given a professional appointment at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine as the Associate Professor of Urology. 

"It is a pleasure to work with Florida Hospital to recruit well known and skilled physicians like Dr. Patel.  The Global Robotics Institute will serve our patients, students and faculty well. It takes us one step closer to establishing a world class college of medicine with extraordinary facilities and faculty," said Dr. Deborah German, dean of the UCF College of Medicine.

The GRI at Florida Hospital, part of the Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement, will serve as a robotic surgery training site for physicians from around the world.  Located at Florida Hospital Celebration Health and Florida Hospital Orlando, the GRI will offer robotic surgeries for prostate and gynecologic oncology patients and soon will be expanding to include many other surgical specialties.

Robotic surgery has numerous benefits to patients, including smaller incisions; spared nerves; less blood loss, pain and scarring; and quicker recovery times.  In 2004, Florida Hospital was the first hospital in Central Florida to perform a da Vinci® robotic radical prostatectomy.

"Robotic surgery is the future of healthcare - it provides less extensive surgeries that allow patients to recover more quickly.  I look forward to working with Florida Hospital's surgeons who have pioneered robotic surgery here and taking our surgical technology to the next level," Patel said.

In addition to training, the GRI will host medical conferences that will bring hundreds of physicians and their families to the area.  Patel, who has already educated more than 1,000 surgeons in robotic surgical techniques, will teach at the first conference in March.

"Orlando has topped the chart of medical meetings for the past 10 years.  This addition by Florida Hospital positions Orlando well to enhance our visibility for medical tourism and medical meetings and conventions, both of which provide a high economic impact for our community," said Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

For more information, please call Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

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