Robot helps doctors to stand side by side with patients

A type of robot called RP-7, worth $ 150,000, is being used by a US doctor in Maryland to care for patients. With this robot, doctors and patients can communicate with each other anywhere and anytime via a communication screen.

Using robots to monitor patients' health and create positive psychological effects is the method that Dr. Alex Gandsas is applying at a hospital in the United States.

Visiting Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, people will see RP-7 robots - the type of robot used for video conferencing - to be used to interact with patients treated by Dr. Gandsas. This method is intended to help patients feel that doctors are present at the hospital room to take care of them.

Dr Alex Gandsas, a slimming surgery specialist, said: 'This robot allows us to' be present 'at the hospital anytime, wherever we are in the world.'

As a product of InTouch Technologies, this real-time robot has the full name of " RP-7 Remote Presence Robotic System " (RP-7 remote presence robot system). When used by Dr. Gandsas in slimming surgery, the robot is nicknamed Bari - the first part of the English word ' bariatric ' (slimming).

The patient liked this robot very much, because seeing the doctor helped them
Add confidence in treatment effectiveness. (Photo: AP)

Michael Chan, Executive Vice President of InTouch Technologies - based in Santa Barbara, California - said his company's product helps doctors to 'appear' in many places in a short period of time.

In addition to the period of treatment and contact with patients during working hours, Dr. Gandsas uses this USD 150,000 robot to monitor the health of patients after surgery so that there can be appropriate treatment Best.

According to Dr. Gandsas, RP-7 robots will come to each hospital bed and adjust its two cameras to help patients see Dr. Gandsas and talk to him. 'It helps to create in patients a feeling of being directly visited by a treating doctor'.

Dr. Alex Gandsas is standing next to RP-7 robot, a means to help him monitor the health of patients every night.(Photo: Washington Post)

He said his approach has created a positive psychological response in patients. He said: 'They like this robot very much! Because of it, they felt like I was with them every night. '

Presenting to the hospital management team about the idea of ​​using their robots, Dr. Gandsas said that this is a supportive method to monitor the health status of patients after surgery during the time that doctors do not have. face at the hospital.

In his study, Dr. Gandsas collected information relating to 376 patients he treated. Among them, 92 people were taken care of by RP-7 robots earlier than originally expected.

According to Michael Chan, his company is deploying applications of RP-7 robots in remote areas, where there is often not enough medical force to take care of patients. Currently, about 120 robots of this type are being used in hospitals around the world.

David Williams, an elderly patient taken care of by RP-7 robot, highly appreciated the treatment with the help of Dr. Gandsas's robot. He said: 'You just lie in one place but still see the doctor's face, you can talk to him and answer his questions about your health situation'.

Nurse Florence Ford, who has been working with the robot for the past 18 months, said: "Patients like this robot very much, because 'seeing a doctor has helped them gain more confidence in the effectiveness of treatment'.

Dr. Gandsas's research has just been published in American College of Surgeons.

Quang Thinh