DELRAY BEACH, Fla.-Feb. 3^rd, 2026 - Delray Medical Center is continuing to invest in the future of patient care with the opening of a new, state-of-the-art operating room designed to support some of the most advanced robotic and minimally invasive procedures available today, helping patients recover faster and return more quickly to the lives they love.

The $1.9 million operating room spans 450 square feet and completes the hospital’s operating room procedural suites, bringing the total to 21 fully equipped operating rooms. Designed to function similarly to an ambulatory surgery center, the enhanced procedural area allows patients to prepare, recover, and return home from the same location, streamlining care while improving efficiency, comfort, and outcomes.

“This new operating room represents a significant investment in how we deliver care,” said Heather Haverciak, CEO of Delray Medical Center. “By bringing our most advanced surgical and robotic technologies into one modern space, we are improving precision, helping reduce recovery times, and helping patients get back to doing what they love, sooner.”

Advanced Robotics in a Purpose-Built Environment

The new operating room is equipped to support a wide range of specialties, including urology, breast surgery, general surgery, ENT, thoracic surgery, and interventional pulmonology. All of the following advanced technologies will be performed in this operating room:

• Robotic-assisted surgery, including the latest-generation da Vinci robotic platform
• Aquablation therapy, a minimally invasive, robotic treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• ION robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, used for precise lung biopsies and surgical planning

Delray Medical Center is nationally recognized as both a Center of Excellence in Robotics and the first hospital in the nation to earn Surgical Review Corporation’s Center of Excellence in Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy accreditation, reflecting its leadership in advanced, technology-driven care.

Transforming Lung Cancer Care Through Thoracic Oncology

Through its thoracic oncology program, Delray Medical Center is redefining how lung cancer is diagnosed and treated. Using robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, physicians are able to detect lung nodules at their earliest stages, often when they are less than a centimeter in size and most treatable.

This advanced approach allows for real-time biopsy and staging, with pathology results available immediately. In many cases, patients can proceed directly to surgical treatment through thoracic oncology, sometimes on the same day, reducing delays, minimizing uncertainty, and improving outcomes.

Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery enables smaller incisions, less postoperative pain, and faster recovery compared to traditional open surgery, allowing patients to return home sooner and resume normal activities more quickly.

Investing in Innovation, Focused on Patients

By consolidating cutting-edge robotics, imaging, and surgical expertise into a single, modern operating room, Delray Medical Center continues to elevate the level of care available to the community. This investment reinforces the hospital’s commitment to innovation, safety, and personalized care, ensuring patients have access to the most advanced treatment options close to home.

About Delray Medical Center

Delray Medical Center, part of the Palm Beach Health Network, is a 536-bed acute care hospital, spanning 30 acres, employing over 1,700 employees, 700 physicians, serving southern Palm Beach County for over 40 years. As both a community hospital and state-designated Level I Trauma Center Delray Medical Center offers several specialized services including state-of-the art cardiac and vascular facilities, orthopedics, neurosciences, emergency care, and weight-loss surgery.

Pinecrest Rehabilitation and Outpatient Hospital at Delray Medical Center is the only state designated brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation program in the county by the State of Florida.  Delray Medical Center is also home to Fair Oaks Pavilion, a 53-bed adult psychiatry unit. For more information about our services, visit our website at www.palmbeachhealthnetwork.com.