Beth Israel adds surgical suite in Needham

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham added an $800,000 suite for minimally invasive surgeries.

The move comes as many academic medical centers in Boston are exporting more of their services to the suburbs.

Beth Israel Deaconess is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

The new suite "allows us to do a broader range of surgery in Needham," Vivian Sanchez, a general surgeon who splits her time between Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said in a statement.

Sanchez added that is a goal of both the hospital in Needham and the medical center in Boston to be able to perform more surgical cases in Needham.

The suite for minimally invasive suite can be used for such procedures as colon resections, gall bladder removal, and arthroscopic joint replacement, the Needham hospital said.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)