Better Outcomes, Less Pain

Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial officially celebrates era of robotic surgery in Newaygo County
 
FREMONT – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial held a ribbon cutting on Tuesday evening to officially celebrate the new era of cutting-edge robotic surgery technology at the 101-year-old hospital. 
 
The three Gerber Memorial physicians trained in da Vinci robotic surgery – Erich Schafer, DO, Jeremy Kuiper, MD, and Jehanna Erho, MD – welcomed more than 70 people to the ceremony. Held at the main hospital lobby, the event also allowed visitors and children to try their hand at operating the da Vinci robot, with an interactive challenge to move tiny objects using high-precision tools and commands, much like a video game.
 
During the ribbon-cutting, Dr. Kuiper said: “It’s a wonderful tool for us in a small town in order to offer things that might not have been impossible a few years ago – to give patients better outcomes, less pain with surgery.”
 
Some of the procedures the physicians trained in the technology can now perform include hernia repairs, gall bladder surgery and anti-reflux surgery.
 
In a column to the community in September... 
https://www.nearnorthnow.com/the-pulse/guest-column-dr-erich-schafer-shgm
...Dr. Schafer highlighted the benefits of robotic surgery to the patient: “Robotic surgery means faster recovery times, which means patients can get back to work quicker, with fewer lost work days.”
 
For more information, contact general surgery at the Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial Multispecialty Clinic: 231.924.4200.

Holding the ribbon during the ceremony are, from left: Karen Baird, executive director of the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce; Jeremy Kuiper, MD; Meleah Mariani, Gerber Memorial chief nursing officer; Jehanna Erho, MD; and Erich Schafer, DO.