Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Heather M. Starmer is a leading figure in head and neck surgical oncology, with a career defined by advancing transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal carcinoma. Her research centers on refining minimally invasive techniques to improve patient outcomes, reduce recovery times, and minimize scarring. Starmer’s major contributions include pioneering a next-generation single-port robotic system (46 citations) and developing an algorithm for rapid discharge after TORS (40 citations), demonstrating that same-day or next-day discharge is feasible without increasing complications. She has also compared scar-sparing approaches like retroauricular and transoral thyroidectomy (39 citations), and led the ASCO guideline on TORS in multidisciplinary care (38 citations), shaping national standards. Her work extends to recurrent tumors, where she co-authored an international cohort study (29 citations), and to cost-effectiveness analyses showing TORS can be more economical than chemoradiation (21 citations). With over 200 citations across these key papers, Starmer’s impact is evident in both clinical practice and policy. Her leadership in the American Head and Neck Society survey (6 citations) further underscores her role in guiding surgical trends. For students and researchers, Starmer exemplifies how innovation in surgical technique can transform patient care while maintaining rigorous evidence.