JJ Hospital Targets Daily Robotic Surgeries; Double Bookings Introduced To Curb No-Shows

Mumbai: In a bid to fully utilise its state-of-the-art robotic surgery system, Mumbai’s Sir J.J. Hospital has now decided to perform at least one robotic surgery every day. To ensure this target is met, the hospital administration has implemented a new system: fixing two patient appointments for each day instead of one. The move comes after several instances where scheduled patients failed to turn up, leaving the expensive robotic equipment unused.

“Despite confirming appointments, patients often missed their slots due to personal or travel issues. To avoid wastage of resources, we will now book two patients. If both arrive, we will perform both surgeries on the same day,” said Dr. Ajay Bhandarwar, Dean of J.J. Hospital and head of the robotic surgery unit.

This step is part of a broader push to scale up operations at the hospital’s robotic surgery department, which has already completed over 67 procedures since its launch in April 2025. In a recent highlight, the hospital successfully removed a rare porcelain gallbladder—a calcified organ at high risk of turning cancerous—from a 51-year-old woman from Assam. The complex case was managed efficiently with robotic arms, allowing for precision, reduced blood loss, and faster recovery.

The hospital currently offers robotic surgeries free of cost to the first 500 patients under a supplier-supported initiative. A multidisciplinary team of surgeons and anesthetists is driving the program forward, with plans to expand into gastroenterology and urology departments soon.

Dr. Bhandarwar emphasized that the technology has the potential to transform patient care in public hospitals. “Our goal is to make advanced surgical care accessible to the common man. With a reliable appointment system, we can make the best use of this technology every single day.”

J.J. Hospital now aims to institutionalize robotic surgery as part of its daily surgical routine, making it the first public hospital in Maharashtra to do so.

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In contrast, robotic surgeries in private hospitals typically cost Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh, depending on the procedure and institution. Private hospitals in Mumbai offer robotic surgeries, but the high cost often makes them inaccessible to low- and middle-income patients.

Box:

• Prostatectomy or urological robotic surgery: ₹2.5–₹3.5 lakh

• Hernia repair or gallbladder removal: ₹1.5–₹2.5 lakh

• Gynaecological robotic procedures: ₹2–₹3 lakh

Surgeries already being performed:

Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), Hernia repairs and Tumour removal in complex locations.

Upcoming expansion areas:

Gastroenterology, Urology (e.g., prostate, bladder, kidney surgeries), and Gynaecology.