Hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley are doing more to move ahead with elective procedures. The concern was about having resources for coronavirus patients and keeping contact to a minimum at facilities.

It’s been weeks since the first mandatory halt to all non-essential surgeries. Then a partial restart was allowed as long as it didn’t interfere with COVID-19 treatment.

At McAllen Medical Center, medical professionals are using a robot to limit the patients’ contact with others at the hospital. The machine, called a Da Vinci XI, is used at the center for gynecology procedures, its advantage is limiting the size of the incision.

Dr. Rene Luna, an OBGYN surgeon, says it also means the patient can go home sooner.

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