OHSU Studies Whether 'Robo-Doc' Improves Patient Outcomes
05/11/05 Portland, Ore. Increasing frequency of doctor visits
may help patients heal faster, go home sooner. Oregon Health &
Science University is one of a handful of medical centers
nationwide to study whether using a high-tech mobile robot to
monitor patients' progress following surgery results in
increased patient safety, fewer postoperative complications,
shorter lengths of stay and improved outcomes. The five-foot
tall, cordless robot, also known as RP-6, features a digital
video camera, flat panel monitor, speakers and a microphone that
enable clinicians to interact with patients via the Internet, as
if they were physically in the room. Its round wheels allow it
to move in any direction, and 24 sensors keep it from running
into staff or sensitive equipment. All that's required to
operate the unit is a computer and a joystick. In-person daily
visits to the patients' bedsides by attending physicians, also
known as rounding, is the traditional posto