On October 15, Cook County Health hosted Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to celebrate the launch of the Intuitive Surgical ION Navigational Bronchoscopy platform at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital in Chicago. Robotic navigational bronchoscopy is a cutting-edge tool that makes diagnosing lung cancer safer, quicker, and more accurate. The technology allows for less invasive biopsies, which means less pain and risk of complications for patients, as well as a faster time to treatment and recovery. Cook County Health launched the program in September and offers the procedure at Stroger Hospital. This technology is currently available at fewer than a dozen academic medical centers in the county. According to the CDC, from 2017-2021 nearly half of all lung cancers were diagnosed at a distant stage, meaning the cancer had spread from the lungs to distant parts of the body. The ION Navigational Bronchoscopy features an ultra-thin, maneuverable catheter capable of navigating deeper into lung tissue than traditional lung biopsy methods. Many patients undergoing robotic bronchoscopy also receive an additional procedure called Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS), which helps doctors assess whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. In April 2024, Cook County Health launched its robotic-assisted surgery program and in May, a new neurosciences ICU was opened at Stroger Hospital.