Intuitive, Fortis Mohali to establish India’s first Total Program Observation site in a non-metro city

Intuitive and Fortis Mohali have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish India’s first Total Program Observation (TPO) site in a non-metro city.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Glenn Vavoso, Senior Vice President and President, Intuitive Asia Pacific; Rohitt Mahajan, Vice President and General Manager, Intuitive India; Abhijit Singh, Head – Strategic Business Unit (SBU), Fortis Mohali; and Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head – Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare.

According to the companies, the collaboration aims to support the next phase of robotic-assisted surgery in India, with a focus on programme maturity, structured training, patient safety and multidisciplinary readiness. The TPO site at Fortis Hospital Mohali will serve as a peer-to-peer learning platform where healthcare professionals can observe how a robotic-assisted surgery programme is built, governed and sustained in an Indian healthcare setting.

Fortis Hospital Mohali has developed a multidisciplinary robotic-assisted surgery programme across gynaecology, gastrointestinal oncology, urology, and head and neck surgery. The hospital has performed more than 3,600 robotic-assisted procedures, supported by 18 robotic surgeons and two da Vinci surgical systems. The hospital serves patients across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and neighbouring regions, providing a reference point for institutions seeking to strengthen robotic-assisted surgery programmes in similar healthcare settings.

Through the TPO site, visiting surgeons, care teams, hospital administrators and executive leaders will be able to participate in peer-to-peer learning with an established robotic-assisted surgery programme. Participants will also gain exposure to surgeon training pathways, multidisciplinary team coordination, operating room workflows, patient safety processes, programme governance, executive alignment, financial planning and long-term service development.

Sharing a global perspective, Glenn Vavoso, Senior Vice President and President, Intuitive Asia Pacific, said, “Across the world, we are seeing healthcare systems increasingly focused on building robotic-assisted surgery programmes that are sustainable, scalable and integrated into broader models of clinical excellence. Total Program Observation sites support this by enabling healthcare teams to observe established programmes and apply relevant learnings within their own institutions. Fortis Hospital Mohali’s inclusion in this global network is a testament to India’s growing leadership in robotic-assisted surgery and its commitment to advancing high-quality, minimally invasive care through collaboration, education and peer learning.”

Commenting on India’s robotic-assisted surgery landscape, Rohitt Mahajan, Vice President and General Manager, Intuitive India, said, “Robotic-assisted surgery in India is entering a new phase of growth, where success will be defined not just by technology adoption, but by building sustainable, high-quality surgical programmes. Fortis Hospital Mohali’s recognition as India’s first Total Program Observation site in a non-metro city reflects the growing maturity of the ecosystem and the important role experienced institutions can play in advancing best practices, strengthening capabilities and expanding access to minimally invasive care across the country.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Abhijit Singh, Head – Strategic Business Unit (SBU), Fortis Mohali, said, “Robotic-assisted surgery continues to expand across India, healthcare institutions are increasingly looking to understand how to build sustainable programmes around the technology. Total Program Observation supports this need by enabling structured peer-to-peer learning across clinical, operational and leadership functions. It also reflects a shared commitment to strengthening training, sharing best practices in programme governance and safety processes, and helping hospitals build the capabilities required to deliver advanced minimally invasive care with greater consistency.”

According to the companies, the collaboration is expected to support India’s robotic-assisted surgery ecosystem by providing a learning platform for hospitals seeking to establish or strengthen robotic-assisted surgery programmes, particularly beyond metropolitan centres.