Advancements in surgery: How AI and robotics are transforming patient outcomes at FirstHealth

By Emily Ruth Perry, posted Nov 10, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Members of the OR team at Moore Regional with the Intuitive da Vinci 5 surgical system. Pictured on the far left is Wayne McFatter. Photo provided by FirstHealth.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas (FirstHealth) has been steadily growing into a new technological age of medical care, and they see that robotics-assisted and artificial intelligence-assisted surgery are bringing multiple benefits to their patients.

In 2024, FirstHealth adopted robotics-assisted full knee replacements and has seen measurable decreases in surgery time and faster post-surgery recovery. Most recently, at Moore Regional Hospital, FirstHealth has adopted Zimmer Biomet’s OrthoGrid Hip AI® Technology, and this is the natural next step in their plan to serve the needs of their orthopedic patients.

“We are doing a lot more of [the AI-assisted anterior hip surgeries] because patients are wanting it. They’ve done their research, and they already know about the anterior approach, and how it’s so much better for the patient. Now with this new tool, we are drawing in more of the market,” shared Executive Director of Surgical Services at FirstHealth Wayne McFatter.

McFatter noted that when he initially came to the FirstHealth system three years ago, they were rarely doing the anterior hip surgery approach, and now, because of this technology and education to the surgeons, this is a fast-growing market for them.

Traditionally, hip surgeries have used the lateral or posterior approach by slicing through the muscles on the side of the hip or through the rear to access the hip joint for replacement. Over the decades, the anterior approach has gained popularity because surgeons are able to retract muscles, as opposed to cutting, to access the hip joint. Because the incision of an anterior hip surgery is about half the size of a lateral or posterior, some surgeons were hesitant to do the anterior approach because of the decreased access to necessary surgical points. Now, with the incorporation of AI technology, McFatter says this removes the guesswork for surgeons by creating 3D reconstructed models of the patient in real time. The OrthoGrid Hip AI® Technology works by taking a 360-degree X-ray of the patient’s pelvis, and then using AI technology to reconstruct a pelvis for that person’s specific anatomy – taking into account the angle of their other femoral hip joint from the socket – to return the patient to their baseline normal.

McFatter shared that there are some initial costs with adopting these new technologies, but the downstream benefits to patients are exponentially greater. This high level of precision during surgeries is primarily what is cutting down on surgery times, meaning less time under anesthesia, faster recovery post-surgery and less need for opioids.

“Once [surgeons] have that learning curve down [for the new technology], it actually shortens the procedure, up to 15 minutes shorter, which is pretty dramatic in a hip,” McFatter said. “It used to take a couple hours to do. When we switched to anterior, that cut it down by a third to now [with the technology] we are doing it in just over an hour.”

While they have only been using the OrthoGrid Hip AI® Technology for two months, McFatter cites the measurable data points, as well as significant feedback from their orthopedic surgeons for the total knee replacement surgeries with their three robotic systems, as evidence of the benefits regarding the trend of emerging technology in orthopedics. The three robotic systems used by FirstHealth of the Carolinas are Smith+Nephew’s CORI Surgical System, Zimmer’s ROSA Knee System and DePuy Johnson & Johnson’s VELYS Robotic-assisted solution. These robotic systems allow surgeons to make accurate cuts within a millimeter.

When Wayne McFatter discusses these technologies, it’s clear he has an intricate understanding of these orthopedic surgeries and the necessity of incorporating emerging technologies for the care of patients. His medical career began in the US Navy as a hospital corpsman. After four years in the Navy, he earned an Associate Degree in Nursing. Later, he earned a BSN from NC A&T State University and his MSN from Regis University. His work experience began as an OR nurse and later as a certified surgical technologist. He has grown in increasing leadership positions because of his hard work, decisionmaking and technical knowledge.

McFatter noted that it is taking some time for the medical industry to grasp the concepts of AI in procedures. FirstHealth of the Carolinas does not make the decision to use artificial intelligence in surgical procedures lightly. McFatter outlined a comprehensive process with an IT Governance Committee that leads to the adoption of any of these emerging technologies. A new technology is submitted to the committee for review, and then representatives meet with the product owner to question and vet the product. The IT committee prioritizes the protection of patient and health care information, as well as patient safety. This process includes many long and strenuous meetings with the project managers, product experts and leadership of FirstHealth. McFatter noted that the review takes a minimum of six months and as long as a year before the adoption of a new surgical system.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas is looking to the future with more technology-driven possibilities. They’re looking at how to innovate in spinal surgeries, such as 3D printing of spinal plates so that it’s specific to the patient’s disc needs. They’re also using AI to reconstruct CT scans in the operating room. That allows for less radiation exposure during surgeries. All of these cutting-edge technologies speak to the dedication of FirstHealth to constantly improve the care of their patients.

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