by Rachel Holt, photos by Mark Dyrud
“We’re all about education. We should be utilizing leading technology, like the da Vinci system, but explain it in a way the patient can understand; where her and I come together and come up with a treatment plan that she understands and that she likes . You’re really in control of your own healthcare but you have an expert to help and guide you,” shared Dr. Jeffrey Jacobs, a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and certified da Vinci robotic surgeon.
Transformations Idaho, Dr. Jacobs’ practice, opened in October of 2015 and is located in Meridian. Jacobs’ goal was to have a practice more focused on the patient. Dr. Jacobs’ son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a child and spent some time under the care of St. Jude’s; this experience guided who he became as a physician.
“The way medicine is going now it’s almost a mill type system. You see 15-20 patients minimum a day, sometimes 25-30, and so you really don’t get to spend time with the patients. I treat every patient like they’re my own family. My experience with them has molded who I became as a physician. I treat them like they’re my mother, my daughter, my sister, my wife and I’ve done this for years. That’s part of why I opened a private practice is I feel I can take care of people the way they need to be taken care of, the way St. Jude’s takes care of kids.”
Transformations Idaho specializes in the ‘total patient’ care specifically in gynecology and aesthetics not including obstetrics.
“Everyone gets an individual treatment plan and it’s a lot of fun for us because we get to spend time with the patients. It’s like going back to the old model. The aesthetics allows us to have a patient come in and want to talk to us about a bunch of different issues and I don’t have to sit there keeping an eye on my watch. We have a spa-like environment. Not a medical feel like most ob/gyn offices.”
One technology they utilize, the da Vinci Surgical System, is a robotic surgical technology that allows surgeons to operate with precision through only a few small incisions and is used for a variety of surgeries including cardiac, gynecological, as well as other types . Practitioners must become licensed to use the da Vinci system through coursework approved by the FDA.
Jacobs first learned the da Vinci system while practicing in Pocatello. Initially a proponent of the system, after receiving some training Jacobs calls himself a ‘convert’ and has an analogy he likes to use when discussing the system with patients.
“When you go to a master carpenter they are good at what they do. They can use the old muscle and use a hammer to nail a nail or they can be really precise and use a nail gun. The hammer allows them to get the nail in, but the nail gun becomes an extension of their arm and they get faster and more precise and they do better work. And that is exactly what the robot does . There’s less post-operative pain, less post-operative bleeding, the patient typically is on the table less time. Having dedicated robot teams allows them to get the routine down and allows me to become a better surgeon. You always have to consider the individual patient’s situation, but when in doubt, I’d much rather use the daVinci. In 20 years, I think there will not be any surgeries done without some sort of robotic assistance. It makes us better surgeons.”
To learn more about Dr Jacobs or Transformation Idaho see their website at: www.TransformationsIdaho.com.
For more information about St. Jude’s, see their website at: www.StJude.org
