Meet and Greet “Dr. Jack” - Da Vinci 5

By: Shelia Mader

Jackson County residents were invited to a meet-and-greet at Jackson Hospital last week. The occasion was the introduction to the public of their new state-of-the-art Da Vinci 5 robot.

Jackson Hospital added the Da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system; a move the hospital says will expand what it can offer locally in minimally invasive surgery. The hospital announced the acquisition on August 11, 2025, calling the da Vinci 5 Intuitive’s most advanced platform and noting it can be used across urology, gynecology, thoracic surgery, and general surgery.

In practical terms for patients, the hospital and its surgeons say the technology is aimed at smaller incisions, less pain, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery, while giving surgeons more precision and control in tight spaces. The Da Vinci 5 is also designed to deliver new kinds of intraoperative feedback and “insights,” including Force Feedback that lets surgeons sense push-and-pull forces on tissue and software features such as force gauges and in-console video replay intended to support decision-making during a procedure. Jackson Hospital reported a key early milestone on October 3, 2025, when surgeons performed the facility’s first procedure using the Da Vinci 5, marking the start of regular clinical use and an expansion of advanced surgical options closer to home for Jackson County-area residents.

Those attending the meet-and-greet had the opportunity to converse with Dr. Rachael R. Barnes and Dr. Vechai Arunakul about their experiences with the Da Vinci 5. Jackson Hospital CEO Brooke Donaldson said, “We want the community to see the investment we’ve made and what it allows us to offer to the patients in Marianna and in our surrounding communities, so they won’t have to travel for this amazing technology.They can now come here to have it done. So, we’re super excited. We want the community to see what we have available and we are proud of great turnout tonight.”