Under the agreement, InTouch Health will integrate its Remote Presence technology with Intuitive's da Vinci surgical system to enable surgeons located in different geographies to perform remote surgical proctoring, training and collaboration. The incorporation of the two systems should allow for more efficient means of training surgeons.

"We believe InTouch has created a platform that can integrate seamlessly with our da Vinci system, enabling hospitals easier access to surgical proctors and benefiting patients, surgeons and hospitals alike," says Intuitive Surgical's President, Gary Guthart.

"Training physicians on new surgical procedures is a process that often requires the guidance of a more experienced surgeon over a number of procedures," commented Dr. Yulun Wang, Chairman and CEO of InTouch Health. "Coupling the Remote Presence system with the da Vinci surgical robot will greatly improve the availability and access of more experienced surgeons, which may enable more rapid adoption of new procedures. We're very excited about this partnership as it truly leverages the expertise of each organization."