daVinci® Surgical Robot

Research Medical Center has added the da Vinci® robotic surgical system to its comprehensive surgical services. This advanced technology, using four robotic arms takes surgery beyond the limits of the human hand and provides surgeons with greater precision, control and access to hard-to-reach areas, allowing complex operations to be performed through just a few small incisions.


An alternative to open surgery
With less pain and fewer side effects, the da Vinci® can provide smaller incisions, less blood loss, reduced risk of infection,shorter hospital stays and a quicker return to normal activities.


Patient Benefits

• Less pain; fewer side effects
• Shorter hospital stays
• Reduced risk of infection
• Smaller incisions
• Less scarring and less blood loss
• Quicker return to normal activities

Physician Benefits

• Enhanced 3D, high-definition vision of operative field with up to 10x magnification
• New optional dual console allows second surgeon to provide assistance
• Superior visual clarity of tissue and anatomy
• Surgical dexterity and precision far greater than even the human hand
• Updated and simplified user interface to enhance OR efficiency
• New ergonomic settings for greater surgeon comfort

Physicians performing gynecologic and gynecologic/oncology procedures with the da Vinci robotic surgical system at Research Medical Center include: Brad Sullivan, MD, Verda Hunter-Hicks, MD and Rebecca S. Johnson, MD.

Research Medical Center Launches TeleStroke Program

Steven Kosa, MD, neurologist at Research Medical Center

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disability. Time-critical diagnosis of those 795,000 annual U.S. stroke patientsis paramount in helping patients receive the necessary drugs and treatment. Delays in diagnosis contribute to the mortality and disability associated with stroke.


Midwest Stroke Care at Research MedicalCenter recently launched TeleStroke, part of its telemedicine program, which overcomes geographic and transportation barriers with reliable technology. TeleStroke allows immediate access to Research Medical Center’s stroke experts who can provide consultation and quality, leading-edge healthcare with on-site providers in rural and underserved areas to manage acute stroke as needed.


“The beauty of telemedicine services such as TeleStroke is that it brings off-site specialty services directly to the patients and physicians who need them at exactly the time when they need them,” says Iftekhar Ahmed, MD, a leader in Stroke/TIA care and medical director of The Stroke Care Center at Research Medical Center. “Significant research proves that telemedicine can result in a reduction of unnecessary transfers and improved quality of care.


”Telemedicine is a rapidly expanding area of healthcare that uses various telecommunication technologies to exchange medical information from one location to another, enabling physicians and medical institutions to treat and consult with physicians, clinicians and patients in hospitals. Research Medical Center’s TeleStroke Program will support community hospitals by providing 24-hour on-call stroke specialists and Emergency Department acute stroke consultation.


Using real-time video conferencing, Midwest Stroke Care’s TeleStroke program provides a 24-hour on-call neurologist to aid in prompt evaluation and treatment of stroke patients, helping to determine whether or not the patient’s symptoms require the administration of rtPA, an an intravenous clot-busting drug. When administered within three hours of having a stroke, rtPA can help break up blood clots.


Research Medical Center, part of HCA Midwest Health System—Kansas City’s largest healthcare network—has the technology to deliver highly specialized stroke care.The hospital received Get With the Guidelines™ - StrokeGold Plus in 2011. This award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations. Research Medical Center was the first Certified Primary Stroke Center in the region and offers comprehensive stroke care with the latest technologies andmost effective treatments available.


Kevin J. Hicks, chief executive officer of Research Medical Center, says that the physicians and staff are committed to maximizing resources efficiently to deliver the best healthcare. “TeleStroke, part of our telemedicine services,reflects Research’s dedication to quality patient care,” says Hicks.


For information about partnering with Midwest Stroke Care at Research Medical Center, call (816) 276-3946.

Research Medical Center Receives Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Research Medical Center has received the Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association for its excellence in the treatment of patients with heart failure. The award is only given to hospitals that achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all GWTG Heart Failure Quality Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and have achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with four of nine GWTG Heart Failure Quality Measures to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.