As robotic-assisted surgery continues to gain traction across health systems, Virtua Health is showcasing what it takes to maximize both clinical outcomes and return on investment through careful strategic alignment. During a featured session at Becker’s 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable in Chicago, leaders from the Marlton, N.J.-based health system detailed how they transformed their robotic surgery program into a systemwide differentiator for quality, growth and financial sustainability.
Jacqueline Wills, network director of robotics, and Craig Zaretsky, MD, chief of surgery, shared the framework and data-driven approach behind Virtua’s success.
Here are four key takeaways from the session:
Note: Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.
1. From equipment to enterprise strategy
Virtua Health’s robotics program started strong but plateaued by 2020, constrained by siloed planning and limited access to da Vinci systems. “We were successful, but we had bottleneck issues,” Dr. Zaretsky said. That changed with a strategic mindset shift: viewing robotics not just as a surgical tool, but as a vehicle to improve care delivery across the system.
Using a “now, near and far” framework, Ms. Wills and her team convened a leadership summit to align surgeons, operational leaders and executives on a shared vision. A key enabler: robust data analytics, supported by a partnership with Intuitive’s market access custom analytics (MACA) tool.
2. Rapid da Vinci program expansion drives MIS adoption
To overcome access constraints, Virtua scaled its footprint of da Vinci systems from 4 systems in 2020 to 27 systems across the health system today, In 2022 alone, they added 12 robotic systems across its campuses in a single quarter, according to Ms. Wills. This major leap was driven by surgeon demand and data-driven infrastructure planning.
As Virtua scaled access to da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery, clinical outcomes improved as open surgies declined. By the end of 2024, the heath system reduced its rate of open surgery to just 6% of addressable procedures, resulting in a significant reduction in average length of stay, surgical site infections, readmissions, and converstions to open procedures. Virtua estimates it has saved over $14M in cost-avoidance since scaling their da Vinci program.
3. Acute care and ASC strategies fuel margin growth
The program’s evolution has gone beyond scheduled surgery. By equipping operating rooms for 24/7 robotic access — including training scrub techs as bedside assistants — Virtua converted low-acuity emergency surgeries like cholecystectomies and appendectomies to a robotic approach. The result: faster discharges, lower complication rates and almost $1 million in additional contribution margin annually for cholecystectomies alone.
Meanwhile, a systemwide standardization to the latest Da Vinci 5 platforms freed up older Xi systems for redeployment in outpatient settings. “We’re using them to decant volume from our overutilized ORs at a few of our inpatient setting,” Ms. Wills said. Each shift is data-informed and aligned with downstream backfill to maximize throughput and margin capture.
4. Standardization and smart infrastructure decisions drive ROI
Though initially cautious, Virtua leaders ultimately opted to replace their entire robotic fleet with Da Vinci 5 systems based on clear performance and operational gains.
Early results validated the decision to standardize to the newest platform. Surgeons operating with da Vinci 5 saw measurable reductions in operative time as they became fully immersed on the platform. Across high-volume general surgery cases alone, Virtua saved more than 7,600 OR minutes in a single year — creating additional capacity without expanding staff or facilities.
The implications extended beyond the OR schedule. The da Vinci 5’s integrated design includes insufflation, energy, and vision systems which has allowed Virtua to reassess long-standing infrastructure assumptions. In one facility, Virtua avoided a $1.6 million in lost procedure revenue during a renovation of its OR booms, leveraging da Vinci 5 with the booms were out of service. Similar evaluations are now informing future OR builds, equipment contracts and long-term capital planning.
