Morris Hospital Expands Robotic Surgery with da Vinci 5 Surgical System
January 19, 2026, MORRIS, IL – Morris Hospital has further expanded its robotic-assisted surgery capabilities with the addition of the groundbreaking Intuitive da Vinci 5® (DV5) surgical system. As the most advanced da Vinci system available today, the DV5 is associated with improved patient outcomes including shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries, and reduced risk of complications.
“We are thrilled to bring this advanced technology to Grundy County,” said Tom Dohm, President & CEO of Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. “Along with supporting our commitment to providing high-quality, excellent care for patients, investing in the da Vinci 5 is another important step toward enhancing the surgical capabilities at Morris Hospital.”
According to Shara Harris, Director of Surgical Services at Morris Hospital, the da Vinci 5 surgical system will initially be used during minimally invasive gynecology and general surgeries such as hernia repair, gallbladder surgery, colorectal surgery, hysterectomy, fibroid removal, pelvic organ prolapse and endometriosis resection.
While the term “robotic” can imply that a robot is performing the surgery, Harris said that is not the case.
“The surgeon still performs the surgery, with the da Vinci 5 system extending the capabilities of the surgeon’s eyes and hands beyond what the human body allows,” said Harris. “The system is designed to allow surgeons to feel more and see more.”
During a surgical case using the DV5, the surgeon is in the operating room with the patient and performs the procedure while looking through a console that provides a view of the surgical field in 3DHD, giving a crystal-clear view of the surgical area that is magnified 10 times beyond what the human eye can see. The surgeon is 100% in control of the DV5, using their own hands to control a camera and tiny surgical instruments while operating through incisions that range in size from 8 to 13 millimeters, which is about the size of a fingertip.
Another advantage of the da Vinci 5 is the system’s built in tremor-filtration technology that helps the surgeon move each instrument with enhanced precision. The da Vinci 5 also has Force Feedback technology and instruments that enable the surgeon to sense and measure the force exerted on tissue. This technology translates to gentler surgery for patients.
As robotic-assisted surgery has become a standard technique for many types of surgeries in recent years, Dohm said it was necessary for Morris Hospital to invest in the $2.5 million surgical system.
“In 2024, we added Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted surgery that is designed solely for orthopedic cases,” said Dohm. “Investing in the da Vinci 5 enables us to give surgeons in other specialties the advanced technology needed to perform robotic-assisted surgery.”
Dohm went on to say that the addition of the DV5 will allow Morris Hospital to expand its surgical capabilities and specialties, which is beneficial for patients and the community.
“This is yet another example of our commitment to providing high-quality, excellent care to meet the evolving needs of patients and physicians,” said Dohm.
Over the past few years, Morris Hospital has made a number of enhancements to its surgical services, including the 2023 opening of a new, state-of-the-art Surgical Services Suite at the hospital that includes three new operating rooms, a new sterile processing area where surgical instruments are cleaned, new ambulatory surgery rooms, and a new surgery waiting room. In addition to adding Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery for orthopedics in 2024, Morris Hospital also completed construction of new endoscopy rooms and a new special procedure room that same year. In 2025, the number of general surgeons on the Morris Hospital medical staff increased from 1.5 to 4 full-time general surgeons as a result of physician recruitment initiatives.
For more information about surgery at Morris Hospital with the da Vinci 5 surgical system, visit morrishospital.org/davinci.
