01/21/2025
Joe traveled from Florida to Connecticut for expert, compassionate hernia care. Discover how robotic surgery and trust transformed his experience.
Joe Franchina of Florida made the roughly 1,134.5-mile trek to Connecticut to undergo surgery at Nuvance Health, Norwalk Hospital. In a patient-surgeon relationship that began almost 30 years prior, Joe, a 73-year-old Stamford, Connecticut native, now living in Palm Coast, Florida, already made up his mind that he wanted Philip Corvo, MD, Chairman of Surgery at Nuvance Health, Norwalk Hospital to perform his umbilical hernia surgery.
Watch Joe's story and find out why he decided to travel 1,000 miles for surgery at Norwalk Hospital.
“I traveled from Florida to Connecticut to get surgery because I have so much confidence in Dr. Corvo,” Joe said.
Learn more about general surgery at Norwalk Hospital.
From disappointment to determination: Why Joe chose Connecticut for care
Joe, now retired after a fulfilling career as a teacher at West Hill High School in Stamford, felt like he had everything he needed to happily live out his golden years in the Sunshine State, but one thing was missing— Joe wasn’t satisfied with his healthcare.
Related : 5 tips for losing weight for healthy aging through the years
After undergoing a surgery on his prostate at what he considered to be a top of the line and well-known healthcare practice in Florida, Joe said he was left with a lot of pain and disappointment.
“Let me tell you, I suffered. I suffered after the surgery and that’s when I said, ‘never again.’
‘Never again’ meant that Joe wasn’t going to let just any surgeon operate on him anymore. Despite being separated by over 1,000 miles, Joe made the decision to get his next surgery done in Connecticut.
Find out more about comprehensive and personalized urology care at Nuvance Health
A 25-year bond: The care and compassion that earned Joe’s loyalty
Joe had already received two surgeries from Dr. Corvo over the course of 25 years, both of which he was extremely happy with.
“Both surgeries were complication free,” Joe said, “no scars,” Joe happily recalled the moment that solidified his loyalty as a patient to Dr. Corvo.
“While I was in the recovery room after one of the surgeries, Dr. Corvo came to visit me. He asked me how I was doing and answered all my questions,” Joe said with a smile on his face. “He didn’t have to, but he gave me his cellphone number and told me to call him if I had any concerns.”
Dr. Corvo’s small gesture meant a big deal for Joe.
“I thought it was unbelievable. How many doctors do you know that just give you their cellphone number?” Joe said.
Learn more about surgical services at Norwalk Hospital
The power of kindness: Dr. Corvo’s approach to patient care
What makes the bond between Joe and Dr. Corvo unique is that unlike the relationship between a primary care doctor and a patient, which may last for years, the relationship between a patient and a surgeon is usually just a one off.
Dr. Corvo said his secret to maintaining strong and lasting relationships with his patients is simple — treat everyone with kindness.
“The surgery itself is what tends to take up everybody’s focus, and it’s fleeting,” Dr. Corvo said. “Patients forget after a while the details of the surgery, but what they don’t forget and what they remember forever, is how you treated them.”
Robotic precision: How advanced techniques revolutionized Joe’s hernia repair
Not only was Joe impressed with Dr. Corvo’s bedside manner but his skills as a surgeon left Joe without any scars.
For Joe’s latest surgery, Dr. Corvo is repairing an umbilical hernia using a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of robotic instruments.
In the months leading up to Joe’s surgery, Dr. Corvo reassured him that he would receive top of the line care during his procedure.
Although Hernia surgery is one of the most common types of surgeries performed in the U.S. accounting for over a million procedures a year, no surgery is fool proof.
“Surgeons learned from experience that simply sewing the hernia closed didn’t work well. About 50% of the time, the hernia recurred,” Dr. Corvo explained.
However, hernia repair surgery has advanced exponentially thanks to robotic assisted tools that allow surgeons to perform better motion and precision than their human hands or wrists could ever allow for. Explore complex hernia repair (abdominal wall reconstruction).
Once the hernia is repaired, a small piece of mesh, which can be made of several different materials— mostly types of plastic, is placed inside of the patient.
The mesh then acts as a scaffold for new tissue to grow on and become part of the repair.
The new assisted robotic mesh procedure has dropped hernia recurrence rates from 50 % to an astounding 1-2%.
“Although mesh has been used in hernia surgeries since the 90’s, it’s the incorporation of the minimally invasive robotic instruments that are becoming standard,” Dr. Corvo said.
A seamless recovery: Trust and innovation lead to a successful outcome
Joe's confidence in Dr. Corvo, paired with the advancements in robotic-assisted surgery, gave him peace of mind leading up to the procedure. When the day of the surgery arrived, Joe felt reassured knowing he was in skilled and compassionate hands.
The minimally invasive umbilical hernia repair went smoothly, just as Joe expected. Thanks to robotic-assisted instruments, Dr. Corvo was able to perform the surgery with precision, leaving minimal scarring and dramatically reducing the risk of recurrence. Post-surgery, Joe was relieved to find that his recovery was far less painful and complicated compared to his previous experiences in Florida.
Related content: Nuvance Health hospitals earn Center of Excellence accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation.
Within weeks, Joe was back to enjoying his retirement. But this time, he did so with a renewed sense of gratitude — not just for the outcome of the surgery but for the relationship he’d built with a surgeon he could trust completely.
The ultimate compliment: a story of compassion and exceptional care
For Dr. Corvo, stories like Joe’s are why he continues to prioritize compassion and human connection in his practice. Joe’s act as a patient in choosing me to perform his surgery is the ultimate compliment that a patient can give to a doctor,” Dr. Corvo said. “All the sacrifices I have made up to this point in my career make it all worth it.” Dr. Corvo said.
Joe’s story is a testament to the importance of finding a surgeon who truly cares. Despite the distance and challenges of traveling over 1,000 miles for care, Joe’s decision to return to Connecticut to see Dr. Corvo proved worthwhile. His experience highlights the exceptional care provided at Nuvance Health Norwalk Hospital — where outstanding healthcare isn’t just a promise, but a reality.
For Joe Franchina, the journey wasn’t just about healing his body it was about reaffirming his belief in compassionate, patient-centered care and thanks to Dr. Philip Corvo and the team at Norwalk Hospital, Joe is living proof that the right care can make all the difference.
Disclaimer: Outcomes from general surgery vary from person to person. No individual results should be seen as typical.