Robo-doc To Start Making Ward Rounds At St Mary’s Hospital.

St. Mary’s NHS Trust and Imperial College in London put in the test a system in which the robot quarter to cover medical rounds.

Presence distance learning (FP6) robot so that an expert medical examination visually and with a patient from anywhere in the world, via the machine, with the wireless technology. The robots (nicknamed by staff Sister Mary and Dr Robbie) can also be used to teaching in surgery, and even video conferences.

The robots are supported by a controller from a remote server. The doctor ‘, the robot can the patient to ask questions, and read the files of patients, the X-ray and the results of tests on the console. The patient sees the doctor the image on the robots’ face ‘. Although the robot does not physically examine the patient, it allows you to contact between a doctor and his patient, with a direct access to specialists.

Healthy Parv, Project Manager, Department of Surgery Chancellor doctor and researcher, said the advantages include patients, the direct access of experts from around the World, and for the doctor who performed the operation, even if it does not, from the head Physically end of the patient.

“When an expert at a conference in California but their medical is for the St. Mary’s patient or to present a lecture to the physicians of the FP6 robot is a fast connection and the world and at any time of day and by night.

“Our robots certainly never replace all doctors of the places around, but they are a means of communication, with a doctor that a direct contact with their patients if they are unable to work for them.

“If we have a lot of tension on the NHS many doctors currently providing high qualifications and skills are needed to participate in several places simultaneously. There is a solution, possibly, their expertise and can be removed, an important step for the supply of the patients. “

The robots are designed for the examination in a district general surgery and A & E department within the St Mary’s Hospital and for the purposes of training, of Imperial College in academic and clinical skills of the unit. It is the only one in Britain and one of a handful of the World, the one in Europe and three in the United States.

The FP6 robot is the last part of the pioneer in the integration of robots in health care by Professor Sir Ara Darzi, Head of the Department of Surgery Imperial, anesthesiology and intensive care, and a surgeon who is in St. Mary’s.

Professor Sir Ara Darzi adds: “It is a revolutionary concept, a new way of telemedicine and provides research with health care at the local level, increasing the interface between patients, the doctors and teachers.”

Under this pilot project, a study is under way to the way in which patients react to robots, the necessary skills required for the remote control tele-presence and advice of the potential applications of the technology in the provision of clinical services and training .