Mercy Health congratulates Dr. Jose Rodriguez on completing 600 robotic surgeries, showcasing the expertise of the region’s most advanced robotic surgical teams.

This accomplishment puts Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center as the fourth hospital in Ohio who reached the 600th procedure milestone and the only one in southwest Ohio to have that level of experience, according to Intuitive Surgical, a corporation that develops and manufacturers robotic products designed to improve clinical outcomes.

“Celebrating milestones like this are a way to remind ourselves of the many patients we’ve treated already and the lives we still have the ability to touch and improve with our continued training and investment in the best technologies available. We want to empower our surgical staff to deliver the best possible care for our patients,” said Ben Merick, vice president of operations for Mercy Health – Springfield.

A cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Rodriguez joined Mercy Health’s cardiology care team in February of 2023, bolstering the health system’s efforts to increase accessibility to specialized cardiac care in the local community. He has successfully treated patients with diagnoses that include lung cancer, heart disease, aneurysm and stroke and is one of 17 physicians and advanced practice clinicians who make up Mercy Health’s cardiology team.

Dr. Rodriguez is among the region’s leading surgeons using the most advanced daVinci® technology at Springfield Regional Medical Center. Instead of more invasive, traditional open or laparoscopic surgery, the daVinci® Surgical System allows our surgeons to skillfully perform surgical procedures with smaller incisions, surgical procedures that involve smaller incisions, less scarring and shorter recovery times.

Mercy Health’s commitment to serving the community is solidified in the investment in surgical technology and expertise, now and into the future. Using the latest technology and most up-to-date techniques, Mercy Health’s team of experts offer the region’s highest level of surgical care in several areas of medicine including oncology, bariatrics, gynecology, neurology, orthopedics and spine care. 

This surgical expertise and experience have resulted in Springfield’s surgeons achieving a plethora of milestones including:

  • Dr. Tedros Andom, Dr. Colleen Alexander, Dr. Daniel Persinger and Dr. Jeff Maendel: 2,159 robotic general and oncology cases 
  • Dr. Terry Carman: 578 robotic general and bariatric cases 
  • Dr. Jose Rodriguez: 604 cardiothoracic and oncology cases
  • Dr. Kevin Zartman: 312 orthopedic total and partial knee robot assisted cases
  • Dr. Domingo Molina: 40 brain lab and spine cases 
  • Dr. Shawn Osterholt, Dr. Kelly Kirk, and Dr. Thomas Reid:  2,113 gynecology and gynecology oncology cases

“I’m proud of what Mercy Health has already been able to collectively accomplish with surgeons from so many distinct disciplines. Looking forward, we hope to continue expanding upon the surgical offerings we can provide to patients locally,” Merick said.