Technology Advisor - Robotics in health care
July 12, 2017
By Bipin Thomas
In previous columns, I introduced the emerging relevance of artificial intelligence in the health care industry. This article is a continuation, which outlines specific applications of medical robotics in health care.
Robotic assistance to nurses and surgeons
Medical robots can assist with delivering care directly to the patients. During a hospital stay, patients interact with nurses the most. They draw blood, check your vital signs, check on your condition and take care of your hygiene, if needed. They are often overwhelmed by physically and mentally daunting tasks, and the result is often an unpleasant experience for everyone involved.
Robotic nurses will help carry this burden in the future. They are designed to be able to carry out repetitive tasks. This way, the staff has more energy to deal with issues that require human decision-making skills and empathy. Certain robots can even take your blood sample.
Surgery is an unpleasant experience, at best.
The waiting lists can be long, depending on available manpower and resources. Robotic-assisted surgery helps alleviate the problem. It has been used in a wide variety of fields from head and neck to urologic surgery. The surgeon is in complete control of the system at all times. However, as the machine has greater reach and flexibility, smaller incisions made with more precision are enough to access the problem areas.
Robotic assistance for a better life
Robotics in health care is so much more than drawing blood.
With a remote controlled robot, caretakers can interact with their patients, check on their living conditions and the need for further appointments. This would help efficiency a great deal by eliminating the time-consuming home visits.
Companies producing and the ones maintaining the system will have to make great efforts to alleviate privacy concerns. As with every such device, it must be near impossible to access for non-authorized personnel. With the proper safeguards in place, these robots can greatly improve the lives of caretakers and patients alike.
Telemedicine assistance is key to access timely and quality health care from anywhere and anytime.
Chances are you have been in a situation where, if an accident were to happen, medical professionals would not have been able to reach you in time. To some of us in the developed world, it’s a rare occurrence.
Billions of people still live outside of the reach of conventional emergency services. With telemedicine services, patients in remote areas have access to high-quality emergency consultations for stroke, cardiovascular and burn services. On the patient’s side, it can be accessed on a tablet or personal computer, and clinicians can also use the same type of devices as best suit their needs.
Exoskeletons are robotic devices that help paralyzed people walk, and with the rehabilitation of stroke or spinal cord injury patients. They can enhance strength in order to allow a nurse to lift an elderly patient. While they have many exciting uses, it’s important to remember that currently they are costly to make and power, so at least at first they will not be available for everyone. Although, in some cases, insurance companies had to cover the costs. Because of this, it has the potential to deepen already existing social and economic inequalities. Decision-makers have to lay the groundwork to regulate the use of such devices. They will have to stay up to date on their capabilities to prevent misuse.
The great thing about robots is that they can be built to be so durable that they can overtake tasks that for humans would be simply too dangerous.
Disinfectant robots can be very useful in health care operations today. Hospital acquired infections are among the leading causes of death in the U.S. According to the CDC, one in every 25 patients will contract an infection from a hospital, costing more than $30 billion a year.
Disinfectant robots use high intensity ultraviolet light to disinfect any space in a health care facility quickly and efficiently. They are more effective in causing cellular damage to microorganisms than other devices designed for disinfection. They reduce the number of hospital acquired infections.
It’s yet another example of how robotics in health care helps hospital staff to decrease the workload and will lead to a much friendlier environment.
About the author: Bipin Thomas is a renowned thought leader on consumer-centric health care transformation. Thomas is a board member of HealthCare Business News magazine and strategic advisor to HealthTap. Thomas is a senior executive at Flex, where he is leading business innovation by enabling intelligent products and connecting stakeholders across industries. Thomas is a former senior executive at Accenture and UST Global, where he implemented strategic digital initiatives across the care continuum.
In previous columns, I introduced the emerging relevance of artificial intelligence in the health care industry. This article is a continuation, which outlines specific applications of medical robotics in health care.
Robotic assistance to nurses and surgeons
Medical robots can assist with delivering care directly to the patients. During a hospital stay, patients interact with nurses the most. They draw blood, check your vital signs, check on your condition and take care of your hygiene, if needed. They are often overwhelmed by physically and mentally daunting tasks, and the result is often an unpleasant experience for everyone involved.
Robotic nurses will help carry this burden in the future. They are designed to be able to carry out repetitive tasks. This way, the staff has more energy to deal with issues that require human decision-making skills and empathy. Certain robots can even take your blood sample.
Surgery is an unpleasant experience, at best.
The waiting lists can be long, depending on available manpower and resources. Robotic-assisted surgery helps alleviate the problem. It has been used in a wide variety of fields from head and neck to urologic surgery. The surgeon is in complete control of the system at all times. However, as the machine has greater reach and flexibility, smaller incisions made with more precision are enough to access the problem areas.
Robotic assistance for a better life
Robotics in health care is so much more than drawing blood.
With a remote controlled robot, caretakers can interact with their patients, check on their living conditions and the need for further appointments. This would help efficiency a great deal by eliminating the time-consuming home visits.
Companies producing and the ones maintaining the system will have to make great efforts to alleviate privacy concerns. As with every such device, it must be near impossible to access for non-authorized personnel. With the proper safeguards in place, these robots can greatly improve the lives of caretakers and patients alike.
Telemedicine assistance is key to access timely and quality health care from anywhere and anytime.
Chances are you have been in a situation where, if an accident were to happen, medical professionals would not have been able to reach you in time. To some of us in the developed world, it’s a rare occurrence.
Billions of people still live outside of the reach of conventional emergency services. With telemedicine services, patients in remote areas have access to high-quality emergency consultations for stroke, cardiovascular and burn services. On the patient’s side, it can be accessed on a tablet or personal computer, and clinicians can also use the same type of devices as best suit their needs.
Exoskeletons are robotic devices that help paralyzed people walk, and with the rehabilitation of stroke or spinal cord injury patients. They can enhance strength in order to allow a nurse to lift an elderly patient. While they have many exciting uses, it’s important to remember that currently they are costly to make and power, so at least at first they will not be available for everyone. Although, in some cases, insurance companies had to cover the costs. Because of this, it has the potential to deepen already existing social and economic inequalities. Decision-makers have to lay the groundwork to regulate the use of such devices. They will have to stay up to date on their capabilities to prevent misuse.
The great thing about robots is that they can be built to be so durable that they can overtake tasks that for humans would be simply too dangerous.
Disinfectant robots can be very useful in health care operations today. Hospital acquired infections are among the leading causes of death in the U.S. According to the CDC, one in every 25 patients will contract an infection from a hospital, costing more than $30 billion a year.
Disinfectant robots use high intensity ultraviolet light to disinfect any space in a health care facility quickly and efficiently. They are more effective in causing cellular damage to microorganisms than other devices designed for disinfection. They reduce the number of hospital acquired infections.
It’s yet another example of how robotics in health care helps hospital staff to decrease the workload and will lead to a much friendlier environment.
About the author: Bipin Thomas is a renowned thought leader on consumer-centric health care transformation. Thomas is a board member of HealthCare Business News magazine and strategic advisor to HealthTap. Thomas is a senior executive at Flex, where he is leading business innovation by enabling intelligent products and connecting stakeholders across industries. Thomas is a former senior executive at Accenture and UST Global, where he implemented strategic digital initiatives across the care continuum.