Sutter Delta Medical Center is first in East Contra Costa to welcome advanced surgical robot
Robot-assisted surgery means advanced care is closer to home for local patients
By Monique Binkley Smith, Media Relations Manager, Sutter Health
ANTIOCH, CA – Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Calif., announced this month it is the first hospital in East Contra Costa County to implement the state-of-the-art robotic surgical system, the Intuitive da Vinci 5, revolutionizing advanced surgical care in the region and improving access for patients who previously had to travel an hour or more for certain surgical procedures.
A ribbon cutting and demonstration of the robot was held on Friday, May 23, 2025, with medical center leadership and local dignitaries including Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal and Mayor Pro Tem Louie Rocha.
“This is a phenomenal investment on the part of Sutter Health that will benefit our residents in Eastern Contra Costa County for years to come,” said Sutter Delta CEO Trevor Brand. “Our new da Vinci 5 will enable our physicians to deliver a range of minimally invasive surgeries to our patients right here in our own community.”
The da Vinci 5 robotic surgery system represents a groundbreaking advancement in minimally invasive surgery, featuring more than 150 design improvements for enhanced precision, better instrument handling and advanced 3D HD visualization. Minimally invasive surgery has been shown to help reduce recovery times, minimize scarring and improve patient outcomes with sustained benefits.
“With this new technology, we’re able to improve care and outcomes for our patients at Sutter Delta,” said Christopher Solis, M.D., FACS, chair of Sutter Delta’s Department of Surgery and a surgeon with Sutter East Bay Medical Group.
What are the benefits of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery?
- Fewer complications and improved patient outcomes with sustained benefits
- Shorter hospital stays means patients able to return home faster than ever before
- Dramatically reduced post-operative pain, which typically means patients need less narcotic pain medication
- Reduced recovery times
- Minimal scarring
Robotic-assisted surgery has been demonstrated to generally result in fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and dramatically reduced post-operative pain for patients, which typically means patients need less narcotic pain medication. Patients are also often able to return home faster than ever before.
“With the DV5 system in place, our surgical teams are well-equipped to handle complex cases close to home while providing the highest standard of care and safety to our patients,” said Sutter Delta Chief Medical Executive Karin Shavelson, M.D.
As Sutter Delta’s program expands, the new robotic system will allow the hospital’s surgical teams to handle more complex procedures in specializations including colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, general surgery, urology, gynecology and gynecologic oncology.
“This is a huge win for our community, and we’re proud to be the first in Eastern Contra Costa County to bring this DV5 and all its capabilities to our patients locally,” Brand said.
The first surgery at Sutter Delta using the new da Vinci 5 is scheduled for mid-June.
About Sutter Health
Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to health equity, community partnerships, and innovative, high-quality patient care, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving nearly 3.5 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 57,000 employees and clinicians, and 12,000+ affiliated physicians, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients.
Sutter delivers exceptional and affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health, and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops.
Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming healthcare at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.
the attachments to this post:
Sutter Delta Med CTr da Vinci 5 RC Trevor Brand & Ron Bernal
Sutter Delta Med Ctr_daVinci 5 Surgical Robot RC 5-23-25
SutterHealthlogo & surgery robot
