Revo-i: The Future of Robotic Surgery

meerecompany appoints Dr. Hany N. Atalah, M.D. as Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Middle East and North Africa to accelerate global expansion.

Dr. Hany N. Atalah is a robotic surgery specialist with more than 15 years of experience in robotic and minimally invasive surgery in the United States and Qatar. Dr. Hany has performed more than 15,000 robotic surgeries in fields such as urology, gynecology, and general surgery. He will bring his expertise and insight to further strengthen the company’s training and medical capabilities. With particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, he will oversee operations and medical strategy for the Revo-i training program for the region.

Dr. Hany authored a chapter on robotic surgery in a urology textbook published in 2009, the first textbook in the world to cover robotic surgery in urology. At the Coliseum Medical Center in the United States, he also dramatically increased the annual robotic surgery volume from 120 to 600 cases.

When asked about his experience and know-how at the time, he said that robotic surgery was a new method. Therefore, it was difficult to convince surgeons to switch from laparoscopic surgery to robotic surgery due to their doubts and fears. “So, we set up a dedicated robotic surgery team and worked to install trust in the team and build their confidence in robotic surgery” said Dr. Hany. He went on to explain how they introduced additional surgical robots and doubled the number of robotic surgeries per year, increasing from 120 to 600 surgeries per year in three to four years.

In this interview, Dr. Hany discusses his reasons for joining meerecompany, the robotic surgery market in the U.S. and the Middle East and why Revo-i is the future of robotic surgery.

“Healthy company atmosphere and Revo-i’s high technology” as reasons for joining meerecompany.

Dr. Hany has experience with a variety of surgical robot brands and companies. meerecompany asked him how he came to join meerecompany as VP of Clinical Affairs for Surgical Robot Division and what his plans are for the future.

“The family-like atmosphere, strong sense of community, and interaction with each other at meerecompany were positive factors in my decision to take on the role as VP of Clinical Affairs for Surgical Robot Division. There is also its healthy culture that values honesty and integrity, as well as its strong financial structure that I can rely on,” said Dr. Hany.

Still, he stressed that his main reason for choosing meerecompany was “the high quality of Revo-i’s technology.”

“I’ve used a lot of different products, but this is the one that stands out,” Dr. Hany said about Revo-i. Revo-i provides an intuitive, user-friendly surgical experience. “I tested with some procedures in the wet lab, and it was encouraging to see that it took less time than it would have with traditional equipment,” he added.

Talking about his future role as VP of Clinical Affairs for the MENA region, Dr. Hany said, “I’m looking forward to training surgeons for Revo-i robotic surgery and educating patients about the benefits of robotic surgery, and to introducing a strategic, structured program for the MENA region to achieve good results.”

He will train medical staff on the use of the Revo-i robotic surgery technique and raise awareness among patients about the benefits of robotic surgery. He is expected to play a major role in promoting Revo-i and robotic surgery in the Middle East and North Africa region.

“The Middle East is a complex market…understanding that market is paramount”

VP Dr. Hany has spent most of his career in the United States, the home of robotic surgery, and his most recent position has taken him to Qatar in the Middle East. We asked him to compare the robotic surgery market in the U.S. and the Middle East.

“There are differences between the healthcare systems in the U.S. and the Middle East. In the U.S., most patients have private insurance. Robotic surgery is often covered by private insurance, so robotic surgery is not a major cost burden,” he explained.

“In the Middle East, however, each country is different, and each patient is different. Most countries in the Middle East rarely cover robotic surgery, even if the patient has insurance, making it cost-prohibitive for both the patient and the hospital.”

“The same is true for countries with relatively low economic levels, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco in the North African region. There is clearly a demand for cost-effective, reliable operations in these countries, which is where Revo-i has a huge advantage,” he added.

“In Qatar in particular, robotic surgery is fully funded by the government, so patients can choose between robotic, laparoscopic, and open surgeries without having to worry about the cost. Doctors don’t have to explain the costs either,” he said, emphasising the importance of tailoring strategies to each country’s context.

“However, awareness of robotic surgery in the Middle East and North Africa region as a whole is low, and the first step is to educate and inform both healthcare providers and patients about the benefits of robotic surgery. We look forward to Revo-i serving as the ‘priming’ for robotic surgery in the Middle East to fulfil meerecompany’s mission of providing more patients with access to the revolutionary medical treatment of robotic surgery,” Hany said.

“Revo-i is the future of robotic surgery, ensuring safe and precise surgery”

Dr. Hany will focus on the Middle East and North Africa region, where he hopes to see the adoption of robotic surgery take the healthcare system to the next level. He also reiterated the importance of a “region-specific strategy” for Revo-i to gain a competitive advantage in the global surgical robotics market.

“You can’t take a Korean business model and apply it overseas,” he stressed. According to him, each continent has different economic levels and preferred robotic surgery applications. “It’s also important to customise the strategy for each local context. For example, if you’re in a region with a high prevalence of a certain disease, you need to focus on that disease. So it’s important to share about local markets well in advance and understand the needs of each market. I’ll be bringing my experience and insights to the table in this regard,” he added.

Finally, we asked Hany to describe Revo-i in one sentence. He then revealed his ambition of opening up the Middle East market with the slogan “Revo-i is the future of robotic surgery, ensuring safe and precise surgery.” He also hopes to establish training centers in several countries to educate nurses, medical staff, and operating room staff on safe robotic surgery.