SDV Medical and Intuitive Surgical to Host Government da Vinci Robotic Surgery Summit
SDV Medical, in conjunction with Intuitive Surgical, will host a Government da Vinci Robotic Surgery Summit on July 31, 2026, at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland.
The summit will bring together surgeons from the Defense Health Agency and the Veterans Administration to collaborate, share best practices, and develop strategies for building world-class military surgical robotics programs in support of the nation’s warfighters.
Guest speakers will include Dr. Brian Harkins, MD, FACS, Medical Director of Robotics for HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball, and Dr. Doug Stoddard, MD, MBA, FACS, Medical Director of Bariatric and Robotic Surgery at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital.
This year’s summit will focus on the development of high-performing robotic surgery programs within the government healthcare system. Discussions will highlight how emerging technology continues to enable surgeons to provide world-class surgical care to service members, veterans, and their families.
The summit will also provide an important forum for knowledge sharing, allowing participating facilities to present their success stories and lessons learned. These shared experiences will help other DHA and VA facilities strengthen their own robotic surgery programs. In addition, collaborative discussions on optimizing facility resources and improving operational efficiencies will support the broader vision of expanding access to robotic surgical care across the enterprise.
SDV Medical looks forward to welcoming all participants for a meaningful day of collaboration, shared experience, and professional fellowship. For DHA and VA teams unable to attend in person, SDV Medical and Intuitive Surgical will provide a Microsoft Teams remote connection, ensuring that all eligible participants have the opportunity to engage in and benefit from the summit experience.