Public Invited to Interact with High-Tech Surgery Robot at RUHS – Medical Center

MORENO VALLEY, CA (June 22, 2026) – Ever wonder what it’s like to operate a surgical robot? Riverside University Health System – Medical Center (RUHS-MC) is offering the public a chance to test drive its next-generation robotic surgical system at a demonstration on Thursday, June 25.

The event highlights the hospital’s investment in the advanced technology that makes smaller incisions than other forms of surgery, leading to multiple patient benefits, including faster healing with less pain, lower risk of infection and shorter hospital stays.

Visitors can step into the surgeon’s seat of the da Vinci 5 system from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at RUHS – MC at 26520 Cactus Ave., Moreno Valley.

The robot will be located at the Pavilion Lobby near the check-in desk. Visitors are encouraged to follow signage for available parking. The closest open lots to the Pavilion are the G, H and I lots.

“Quick recovery from surgery is important for many of the patients we serve who need to return to their jobs quickly to support themselves and their families,” said Dr. Reyna Gonzalez, a surgeon and chair for RUHS’ da Vinci Subcommittee for Robotics. “The DaVinci 5 lets us heal those patients in a safe, but accelerated way.”

The device has become a staple in pelvic, thoracic, general and colorectal surgery, surgical oncology and even some cardiac cases, and continues to be used in new areas, Gonzalez said.

RUHS-MC has conducted a total of 3,626 procedures – an average of 116 per month – since it began using da Vinci devices in 2016.

The medical center was among the first county hospitals in the country to use the da Vinci 5, the latest model, in its robotic surgery programs and has three of them in its main operating room. RUHS also has a da Vinci Xi, the predecessor to the da Vinci 5, at its Medical and Surgical Center.

Both the Xi and da Vinci 5 work the same way: From a remote console, surgeons can view 10-time magnified, 3D images of surgery areas while using tools that respond to their wrist movements. The systems can perform surgeries that would have previously required a larger incision or open surgery.

Some added features the da Vinci 5 has over its predecessor include force feedback, allowing surgeons to easily determine how much pressure they’re applying to tissues, and also a teleconferencing feature that makes it easy for a surgeon to conduct a virtual consult with a colleague in real time.

Though the devices are operated remotely, the surgeon is in full control of the da Vinci and its movements at all times.

Gonzalez is excited for the public, and especially children, to interact with the da Vinci because the experience can reduce their anxiety about surgery. To learn more about RUHS – MC and its surgical services, visit www.ruhealth.org.

*Image courtesy of Riverside University Health System - Medical Center

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