‘Sometimes the doctor patient interaction is far from adequate, but new mobile robotic technologies can help resolve the problem. I have a colleague who developed a cardiac arrhythmia called paroxysmal atrial tachycardia or PAT. The treatment was to thread a small catheter via the femoral artery in his groin up to his heart, find the site where the arrhythmia was originating and cauterize it. The procedure went well on a Friday afternoon and my friend was kept in the hospital overnight for observation. On Saturday, the cardiologist never appeared to check him or to discuss the results. From the doctor’s perspective, the patient was fine and he didn’t need to travel into the hospital. But my friend wanted to have a discussion about the procedure. To him, it was a big deal if not to the cardiologist. So, in frustration, he checked out “AMA.” He spent the weekend annoyed and did not get to talk to the doctor until Monday. This could have been solved with a technology that is essentially a computer mounted on a mobile cart. It can be controlled from a computer at home or work to move to the patient’s room where, with two way visual and voice communication much like you may have used with Skype, the doctor can see and communicate with the patient and vice versa. It is simple, relatively inexpensive and effective. I first learned of it at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey where they named it “Mr. Rounder” and put a white coat on it with a stethoscope to make it look interesting.”
Article
Stephen Schimpff, mobihealthnews, 14 September 2009
