The Cleveland Clinic has rejected a report claiming that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. operated a robotic arm during a patient’s heart surgery. According to a clinic spokesperson, Kennedy “briefly observed a robotic heart surgery as part of a broader tour, which included a demonstration using a disconnected teaching console that was unable to perform any surgical functions.” The clinic stated that Kennedy did not participate in the patient’s treatment.
KFF Health News had reported that Kennedy was in the operating room while the patient was undergoing surgery, with a doctor characterizing Kennedy’s presence as a “horrifying and grotesque violation of HIPAA.” However, a KFF reporter later clarified that Kennedy simply observed the patient being worked on and the doctors continued their work.
Kennedy’s visit to the Cleveland Clinic was one of several stops he made during the week, which also included visits to a Head Start program and an addiction recovery facility.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://kutv.com/news/nation-world/secretary-kennedy-didnt-operate-a-robotic-arm-during-heart-surgery-hospital-confirms-cleveland-health-and-human-services