Bayhealth Inspires Future Caregivers Through Hands-On Experience with Lifesaving Lung Technology

Bayhealth recently celebrated its investment in the Ion by Intuitive® robotic bronchoscopy system by hosting local high school students for a unique, hands-on learning experience inside Intuitive’s Thoracic Oncology Mobile Experience (TOME) Truck — an 80,000-pound mobile classroom that demonstrates the Ion and Da Vinci® robotic surgery platforms.

The Ion system, in use at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, represents a major advancement in the early detection and diagnosis of lung cancer. The technology allows physicians to reach and biopsy small, hard-to-access lung nodules with remarkable precision — helping to identify cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage.

The Ion complements the health system’s established Da Vinci robotic surgery program, which enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures — including the removal of cancerous lung nodules — with greater precision and faster recovery times.

Students learned how Bayhealth clinicians use these tools to save lives, and interacted with physicians, surgeons and respiratory care experts who shared how innovation and compassion come together in modern medicine.

 

Image Caption: A student from an Appoquinimink School District High School drives the Ion through artificial lungs in the TOME Truck with the help of an Intuitive representative as other students look on.

“Watching students engage with this technology was truly inspiring,” said Bayhealth Oncology Service Line Senior Director and Bayhealth Cancer Institute Executive Director John Shevock, ACHE, FACMPE. “It’s our hope that today’s experience sparks a lasting interest in healthcare and shows these young people that they can build meaningful, rewarding careers right here in Delaware.”

The event reflects Bayhealth’s commitment to growing the next generation of caregivers by creating opportunities for students to experience firsthand the future of healthcare. By connecting education with real-world practice, Bayhealth is helping to strengthen Delaware’s healthcare workforce and ensure patients continue receiving high-quality care close to home.

Bayhealth also hosted an event for donors, team members, physicians and community partners to tour the TOME Truck and learn more about how these technologies are transforming lung cancer care across the region.

Visit Bayhealth.org/Ion to learn more about the lifesaving technology now available at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus.