Robot Doctors in London : “Sister Mary” on Rounds

BBC News reports “Patients at St Mary’s Hospital in London are being seen by a medical robot as part of a new trial. “Sister Mary” glides between beds and allows the controlling doctor to visually examine and communicate with a patient from anywhere in the world.

The Remote Presence Robots being used at St Mary’s, dubbed “Sister Mary”, are aimed at helping doctors see and treat patients when they cannot physically be there. The doctor uses a joystick to control the robot and can view the patient, their records and any test results from afar. The patient sees the doctor’s image on the robot’s face and they can have a two-way conversation with their physician.”

Busy doctors and specialists cannot be available in multiple places for opinion. Such robots help in doctor patient communication. Hopefully, such robotic trials are a solution for the future.