Article Category: Highlights
Wellstar Cobb First at Wellstar to Offer Latest Advancement in Robotic Surgery
The Da Vinci 5 robot allows surgeons to sense force through a first-of-its-kind technology, improving precision and recovery times.
Published on February 28, 2025
Last updated 12:54 PM February 12, 2026
Wellstar Cobb Medical Center
is no stranger to using robotics in surgery yet a new system has catapulted its robotic capabilities to the next level.
Wellstar Cobb is the first hospital in the health system to offer a first-of-its-kind surgical technology through the new Da Vinci 5 robot (DV5), with surgeons
Dr. Julie Chang
and
Dr. Stephen Odom
performing the hospital’s inaugural procedures using the DV5 for
gynecologic
and
general surgery.
The DV5 robot allows physicians to sense how much push-or-pull force they apply during surgeries, giving them greater control and data as they delicately maneuver the tips of the instrument. Wellstar Cobb is among the first hospitals in the metro Atlanta area with this innovative technology.
“The ability to sense hard and soft tissue during robotic surgeries is a game changer,” said Dr. Chang, a specialist in
obstetrics and gynecology
and the first surgeon to use the new DV5 robot at Wellstar Cobb. “Surgeries will be even more precise and efficient with this tool, which will further reduce post-operative pain and make recovery time faster.”
Surgeons can apply up to 43% less force on tissue by relying on the robot’s Force Feedback technology, according to preclinical data from Intuitive, the maker of the DV5 system. When using DV5, surgeons also benefit from improved dexterity and ergonomics, better 3D images and a wider range of motion compared to prior models.
This increase in precision and flexibility will help patients experience less blood loss and scarring, have lower risks of complications and spend less time in the hospital.
“We are committed to providing the highest standard of care—not only by building strong teams, but also by embracing cutting-edge technology,” said Eliese Bernard, president of Wellstar Cobb. “We are thrilled to offer this latest advancement to our patients and be among the first hospitals in the state to do so.”
The new system will primarily benefit general surgery,
urology
and gynecology patients. DV5 will assist with procedures ranging from repairing a hernia to more complex surgeries.
Wellstar Cobb has performed over 10,000 robotic surgeries, with 1,500 of those procedures occurring last year alone. With the help of various Da Vinci models, the hospital’s 30 robotic surgeons apply their expertise to general surgery, gynecology, urology, colorectal and bariatrics.
Their skill with robotic technology offers patients better outcomes, including during laparoscopies—during which surgeons insert a camera through a small incision, limiting the procedure's invasiveness. For instance, only 0.2% of Dr. Chang’s laparoscopies for benign hysterectomies have escalated to open surgeries, which require larger incisions and longer recovery times. By committing to high surgical standards, Wellstar Cobb physicians minimize patient complications and readmissions.
“Wellstar Cobb continues to lead the way in robotic surgeries,” said
Dr. Jody Hughes,
chief medical officer at Wellstar Cobb. “Not only do we offer best-in-class services through technology like the DV5, but we also support other communities by helping train the next generation of elite robotic surgeons.”
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
has also acquired its own Da Vinci 5 Robot.
Learn more about robotic surgery at Wellstar.
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Wellstar Health System and Columbia County Schools Partner to Provide Job Prospects for Students Interested in Healthcare
Busloads of Columbia County high school students funneled through a purple and blue balloon archway into their future on Jan. 23. The 2026 Opportunity Summit was held at Columbia County School District’s Support Complex to showcase career opportunities and benefits available at Wellstar to students who will be looking for jobs in healthcare after graduation.
Juniors and seniors spoke with Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center leadership about careers in both direct patient care and the many fields that support it. With the opening of the new Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center this fall, Wellstar has many open roles in Grovetown as well as its Augusta hospital and clinics. Students could also explore open careers in any of Wellstar’s 11 hospitals.
Students also had the opportunity to learn about employee benefits Wellstar offers, such as free tuition for some critical fields. For Bella Weeks, a junior at Greenbrier High School, that’s a major draw. Weeks knew she wanted to become a nurse after an accident landed her mom in the intensive care unit. The nursing team patiently answered her questions and let her help care for her mom, changing bandages and assisting with her mom’s physical therapy. She knew she wanted to do that for others after graduating high school.
Working at Wellstar would allow Weeks to attend nursing school at Augusta University for free, meaning she could earn a degree without accruing student debt while building her career near her family. She said she appreciated the Opportunity Summit because it gave her a chance to ask questions and learn more about programs not only at Wellstar, but also at local colleges such as Augusta University and Augusta Technical College, which were also in attendance.
“I think it’s very important to hire people, start them young and help them walk into it. It’s really scary going to the healthcare world and just walking into it. Having a little bit of knowledge beforehand really helps,” Weeks said.
Brooks Smith, the director of career and college readiness for Columbia County Schools, said partnerships like the one with Wellstar enable the school system to offer students resources to begin their careers. They also benefit the community by encouraging students to stay in the area and helping them find jobs with local businesses. Those businesses, in turn, benefit from a pipeline to grow their workforce.
“(Partnerships) are really beneficial for our students because basically we’re handing them off to their next steps. For these students today who are obviously interested in a career in healthcare, it’s a logical opportunity for us to provide for these students. We’re certainly very thankful that Wellstar has been willing to really initiate some of these partnerships that we now have,” Smith said.
Evelyn Rosenthal, Wellstar vice president and chief learning officer, wanted students to leave knowing that Wellstar eagerly wants to hire them. She said many of today’s graduating seniors have certifications the health system is looking for, such as certified medical assistants, maintenance and HVAC credentials, and valuable hands-on experience.
“They’re coming out of school with the education and certifications that we need to employ them immediately,” she said. “Bottom line: Every student who comes in here today who wants a job, we’re committed to giving them one.”
Newsroom
Wellstar Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King with Inspiring Systemwide MLK Day Streaming Event and Call to Action
On January 15, 2026, Wellstar Health System marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day through a powerful systemwide streaming event, viewed across hospitals, health parks, practices and offices via in-person watch parties and virtual access. Thousands of team members paused together to reflect, learn and recommit to service through a shared experience designed to unite the system.
Anchored by the theme “Carrying the Torch, Expanding the Dream: The Enduring Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” the program centered on Coretta Scott King’s essential, and often underrecognized, leadership. Beyond her role as partner and strategist in the Civil Rights Movement, Coretta Scott King founded The King Center, helped secure the establishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday and extended the movement globally through advocacy for peace, economic justice and human rights, including early and sustained support for LGBTQ+ equality. Her work underscored that the movement’s progress depended on courageous, collective leadership.
The streaming event featured a reflective musical performance by cellist Okorie Johnson and an interfaith prayer by Wellstar Director of Spiritual Health Rev. Sarah Murray. Wellstar President and CEO Ketul J. Patel offered opening remarks and kicked off a compelling conversation between Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, and Monica Kaufman Pearson, former Atlanta news anchor and current host for Atlanta News First and Peachtree TV. Their dialogue explored the enduring relevance of both leaders’ teachings, emphasizing nonviolence as a guiding philosophy alongside unity, moral courage and action as essential to creating positive change. Wellstar Chief Human Resources Officer David A. Jones offered brief closing remarks as the executive sponsor of the event.
In keeping with the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy, Wellstar encourages team members to carry this work forward not only by participating in volunteer opportunities on MLK Day, but by engaging in service and advocacy throughout the year, reinforcing the ongoing commitment Wellstar has to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the communities it serves.
The virtual program is available for on-demand viewing at https://youtu.be/bksp8gadNVM.