Robotic assisted surgery now available locally at St John of God Geraldton Hospital

St John of God Geraldton Hospital Chief Executive Officer Phillip Balmer said combining advanced technology with local care reflects a strong commitment to patient-centred care.

“Our focus is on providing safe, high-quality care close to home, so patients in the Mid West have access to specialist services within their local community,” Mr Balmer said.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Lorcan McGonagle has begun using the Cori robotic system for hip and knee procedures, while colleague and fellow orthopaedic surgeon Dr Aman Singh has commenced using the ROSA Knee System for knee surgery.

Robotic-assisted systems such as Cori and ROSA aim to support surgeons during joint replacement procedures by providing real-time data and guidance to assist surgeons in planning and positioning adjustments tailored to each patient’s individual anatomy. Dr McGonagle said the introduction of these specialised surgical robots in Geraldton represents an expansion of local access to advanced surgical technologies and is an exciting addition to the hospital’s services.

“The advantages of having this done in Geraldton is that we’re using modern techniques with the robotic assisted knee replacement so patients can have surgery done locally, close to home, close to their friends and family which is very important for post operative support,” he said. “They don’t need to travel the 400 kilometres to Perth to have the same operation, with the same implants, using the same techniques.”

With nearly 140,000 knee and hip replacements performed across Australia in 2024, according to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, the introduction of robotic-assisted surgery at St John of God Geraldton Hospital will support Mid-West patients to access advanced orthopaedic surgical options closer to home.
Dr Singh said the milestone reflects a strong commitment to regional health care.

“We are pleased to have introduced robotic-assisted surgery in the Midwest, and we are committed to ensuring that patients in regional centres like Geraldton do not miss out on access to this technology,” he said.

Mr Balmer said the hospital’s focus continued to be the patient, their family and their needs.

“We’re really proud of the fact we have caregivers and specialists who are committed to meeting their needs,” he said.

Dr Singh and Dr McGonagle offer consultations at Midwest Orthopaedics within the St John of God Geraldton Hospital precinct. A GP referral is usually required.