A Puppet in the Hospital

Curtis Franklin Jr., Executive Editor | 4/2/2012 | 21 comments

Curtis Franklin Jr.
You're lying in a hospital bed when a physician comes through the door. He has the standard white coat and stethoscope, but rather than carrying your chart in his hands he's followed by a small robot.

The slim, wheeled device parks near the foot of your bed and brings your chart up on the screen that tops its body. You notice that the doctor directs comments to the robot, which responds by placing a text block next to the information you can see on your chart. When changes in medication are ordered, a form flashes on the screen, which the doctor checks and approves with radio-buttons and a finger-scrawled signature. When the visit is complete, the robot quietly follows the doctor out of the room.

Congratulations! You've just had a doctor's visit in the future as envisioned by Singapore-based CtrlWorks. The unusual thing about this isn't that we're being shown a future vision, but that the future in the story begins next month. According to an article at Singularity Hub, doctors at Khoo Teck Puat hospital in Singapore will be shadowed by robots, named "Puppets" by CtrlWorks, beginning next month. The really impressive thing, though, is that the company sees the doctor's assistance model as just the beginning of the robots' possible use.

Ultimately, CtrlWorks proposes that a doctor could sit at a single console and send Puppets into hospital rooms all across a city, a region, or even a nation. There's no reason, in this model, that the doctor should ever have to waste time traveling from room to room or facility to facility in order to see patients. It's not hard to imagine the Doctor Puppet going into a hospital room shadowed by a nurse, who could take care of patient manipulation, reading subtle patient cues, and administering medications or treatments on an immediate basis.

Here at Enterprise Efficiency we've covered telemonitoring and home health robots in the past. The difference in the CtrlWorks scheme is that it doesn't intend to replace the doctor in housecalls, or save on time in the hospital. Rather, it is an attempt to maximize the impact of doctors on patients already in hospital.

This is going to be a touchy area for CIOs. On the one hand, most physicians will appreciate technology that lowers travel requirements on their schedules, and that allows them to see more patients while possibly retaining some semblance of a life. On the other hand, patients (and nurses, too, if you catch them off duty) already complain about doctors who have no discernable "people skills." For these "human mechanics," a bedside manner is an archaic relic of a bygone era, like the black leather satchel filled with pills and unguents that accompanied their forebears on housecalls.

Savvy healthcare CIOs will want to call in experts from other fields in a translational, multi-discipline approach to retaining patient confidence and comfort while maximizing the time-value of physicians. Ultimately, we could see a multi-tier system in which generalist physicians make rounds accompanied by specialists who show up by Puppet. No matter how many tiers there are, though, the one certainty is that the CIO will ultimately be responsible for making it work -- and will be the one person for whom no robot replacement is possible.

Related posts:

 
View Comments: Newest First | Oldest First | Threaded View
<<   <   Page 2 / 3   >   >>
CurtisFranklin   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/3/2012 11:08:37 AM
Re: interesting
@David, I think one of the benefits the robot brings is the ability to record everything that goes on in the visit. This should make record-keeping easier and (in countries where malpractice litigation is big business) will help in those cases, though it does bring up enormous data storage and discovery issues. The other thing it brings is the ability to have a specialist remotely consult with an attending physician during rounds. That could be huge, and could save real time in deciding on a treatment.
Gigi   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/3/2012 12:06:05 AM
Gigi
Doctor Vs Robot
Hammad, I don't know up to what level this technology is acceptable. In future it may replace Doctors and Nursing assistances. But whatever may the technological developments, NO device can judge or analyze the datas like a human brain. Analyzing the patient condition, interpreting it in right way and prescribing the most suitable medicines are more important in treatment. I strongly believe that only doctors can perform well in such situations.
Pedro Gonzales   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 10:11:02 PM
cool puppet
for me it is very interested how asian countries are more willing and interested in introducing robots into healthcare than specially, here, in the United States.  I would really like to know how are these puppets improving doctor efficiency in singapore, I wouldn't mind seeing little puppets running around hospitals halls, if they are helping physician with their goal of helping people.  I heard than in japan too, they are trying to introduce robots to help the elderly.
Broadway   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 9:26:29 PM
Re:
One of the common complaint of the current US system is that you barely see your doctor. Maybe he or she stops in at your checkout for like 5 minutes at most if you're lucky, otherwise you're dealing with nurses and physician assistants. A robot would be further down the list toward inadequate medical attention.
Hammad Masood   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 4:25:53 PM
Re:
Will the patients be satisfied with this approach ? A doctor visiting the patient or a robot visting the patient, will they be equal ?
David Wagner   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 3:16:01 PM
Re: Programming in a bedside manner
Maybe we could hire actors to do the talking for the puppet so the bedside manner improves. The doctor can ask the boring medical questions and the actor can turn them into warm and friendly questions. Kinda like a high tech Cyrano de Bergerac.
kstaron   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 2:15:48 PM
Programming in a bedside manner
Interesting idea. as a patient I think I might like it because the conversation you have with the 'puppet' could be recorded, so if you have further issues, he can review past visits to look for patterns.  A robot may bottom out the whole bedside manner cliche.  hmm, maybe we could program the puppet with a bedside manner especially for doctor's that don't have one?
LuFu   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 1:30:59 PM
Robotic Bedside Manners
Like illegible handwriting, poor bedside manners are a cliche for doctors. While this may be true in some cases, it's not necessarily the rule. A puppet-robot may have a role as a roving medication deliverer but I believe it an unwanted intrusion if it tries to replace the human touch from a nurse or even a doctor with a robotic personality.
batye   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 12:38:15 PM
Re: interesting
could not agree more with Dave really good point... as physical manipulation is really important 
David Wagner   A Puppet in the Hospital   4/2/2012 12:06:15 PM
Re: interesting
I have to say that while the puppets seem cool, they seem an overcomplicated solution to a problem. If you need a nurse or a doctor to be there to manipulate the patient (get them to put their tongue to the camera or put a blood pressure cuff on or something) then way do you need the robot?

Give the nurse the tablet that the puppet holds and just put cameras in the room.
<<   <   Page 2 / 3   >   >>


The blogs and comments posted on EnterpriseEfficiency.com do not reflect the views of TechWeb, EnterpriseEfficiency.com, or its sponsors. EnterpriseEfficiency.com, TechWeb, and its sponsors do not assume responsibility for any comments, claims, or opinions made by authors and bloggers. They are no substitute for your own research and should not be relied upon for trading or any other purpose.
More Blogs from Curtis Franklin Jr.
Curtis Franklin Jr.   5/20/2013   0 comments
Two weeks on the road, two major conferences, lots of info -- and three key lessons for CIOs.
Curtis Franklin Jr.   5/15/2013   16 comments
Remember the old highway safety slogan, "Speed Kills"? In today's business environment, it's lack of speed that's fatal.
Curtis Franklin Jr.   5/14/2013   1 comment
Between webcasts, con calls, and Internet chats, you need a pretty good reason to actually get on a plane and go to a meeting. Last week's Interop gave me a lot of great reasons to be in ...
Curtis Franklin Jr.   5/10/2013   21 comments
It's rare to hear that security breaches are too cheap to matter. That's exactly what I heard yesterday in Las Vegas.
Curtis Franklin Jr.   5/8/2013   8 comments
Innovation is a matter of discipline and culture in the enterprise. CIOs can help build that culture of innovation -- but only if they understand what's involved and what's at stake.
Latest Archived Broadcast
Data visualization can make complex data easier to grasp. Our expert guest will talk about the hows, whys, and whats of bringing the big picture to your enterprise.
May 28th 2pm EDT Tuesday
On-demand Video with Chat
NBA CIO Michael Gliedman will tell us why the NBA decided to create NBA.com/stats
6/18/2013 -   Please join us for the "IT Convergence Strategies: Why, When and How " to learn more about: • 5 truths about infrastructure convergence today that go beyond the hype • How to exploit the 4 phases of convergence maximum efficiency and agility • Key milestones to plan for on the convergence journey • Why integrated management is a critical component of convergence plans • The importance of an open, modular approach, such as Dell’s active infrastructure, to building a converged data center
E2 IT Migration Zones
IT Migration Zone - UK
Hardware Refresh Cycles Are Outdated
Office 365 Finds Fans
Cutting Through the Modern App Confusion
IT Migration Zone - FR
S’équiper ou non d’un logiciel anti-virus ?
Microsoft passe au facteur deux
Windows Azure Infrastructure Services est disponible !
IT Migration Zone - DE
Microsofts Surface Pro kommt nach Deutschland
Zum Schmunzeln: drei neue Werbeclips für Windows 8
Like Us on Facebook
Twitter Feed
Enterprise Efficiency Twitter Feed
Dell IT Insights
Dell Market Response Twitter Feed
E2 Linked-in Group Ad
Site Moderators Wanted
Enterprise Efficiency is looking for engaged readers to moderate the message boards on this site. Engage in high-IQ conversations with IT industry leaders; earn kudos and perks. Interested? E-mail:
moderators@enterpriseefficiency.com
Dell's Efficiency Modeling Tool
The major problem facing the CIO is how to measure the effectiveness of the IT department. Learn how Dell’s Efficiency Modeling Tool gives the CIO two clear, powerful numbers: Efficiency Quotient and Impact Quotient. These numbers can be transforma¬tive not only to the department, but to the entire enterprise.
Read the full report
The State of Enterprise Efficiency in the Virtual Era: Virtualization – Smart Approaches to Maximize Gains
Virtualization is a presence in nearly all enterprise data centers. But not all companies are using it to its best effect. Learn the common characteristics of success, what barriers companies face, and how to get the most from your efforts.
Read the full report
Informed CIO: Dollars & Sense: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Cut through the VDI hype and get the full picture -- including ROI and the impact on your Data Center -- to make an informed decision about your virtual desktop infrastructure deployments.
Read the full report
SPONSORED BY DELL
BRIEFINGS
CASE STUDIES
EBOOKS
PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCES
VIDEOS
WHITE PAPERS
A Video Case Study – Translational Genomics Research Institute
e2 Video
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We're Going Next
7|11|12   |   08:12   |   10 comments

Now that TGen has broken new ground in genomic research by using Dell's storage, cloud, and high-performance computing solutions, the company discusses what will come next for it and for personalized medicine.
On the Case
Better Care Through Better Communications
6|6|12   |   02:24   |   12 comments

The achievements of the TGen/Dell project could improve how all people receive healthcare, because they are creating ways to improve end-to-end communication of medical data.
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We Are Now
5|15|12   |   06:58   |   5 comments

TGen is breaking new ground in genomic research by using Dell's storage, cloud, and high-performance computing solutions.
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We Were
4|27|12   |   06:45   |   10 comments

The Translational Genomics Research Institute wanted to save lives, but its efforts were hobbled by immense computing challenges related to collecting, processing, sharing, and storing enormous amounts of data.
On the Case
1,200% Faster
4|18|12   |   02:27   |   12 comments

Through their partnership, Dell and TGen have increased the speed of TGen’s medical research by 1,200 percent.
On the Case
IT May Improve Children's Chances of Survival
4|17|12   |   02:12   |   8 comments

IT is helping medical researchers reach breakthroughs in a way and pace never seen before.
On the Case
Medical Advances in the Cloud
4|10|12   |   1:25   |   5 comments

TGen and Dell are pushing the boundaries of computing, and harnessing the power of the cloud to improve healthcare.
On the Case
TGen: Living the Mission
4|9|12   |   2:25   |   3 comments

TGen's CIO puts the organizational mission at the heart of everything the IT staff does.
On the Case
TGen Speeding Up Biomedical Research to Save More Lives
4|5|12   |   1:59   |   8 comments

The Translational Genomics Research Institute is revamping its computing to improve speed, storage, and collaboration – and, most importantly, to save lives.
On the Case
Computing Power Helping to Save Children's Lives
3|28|12   |   2:13   |   3 comments

The Translational Genomics Institute’s partnership with Dell is enabling them to treat kids with neuroblastoma more quickly and save more lives.
Ivan Schneider
Clash of the Tableau 8: Release the Kraken!
5|17|13   |   2:42   |   No comments

Tableau 8 has some great data visualization and presentation capabilities, but it's best paired with a strong data analysis framework.
Tom Nolle
Using Virtualization – for Real!
5|13|13   |   2:10   |   2 comments

There's a lot of hype about virtualization of networks, NaaS, and SDN, but there's a couple of proven applications that enterprises could adopt right now and potentially save money and improve operations.
Tom Nolle
Is UC Becoming Oxymoronic or Just Moronic?
5|9|13   |   2:12   |   No comments

Skype/Outlook UC integration means we're going to have competition and fragmentation of UC client architectures, but is that bad? Modern devices can support IM, email, voice, and video clients, so maybe it's the back end of UC we need to be worried about.
E2 Editors
Windows vs. Integrated Circuit CPUs
4|17|13   |   4:45   |   5 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
Radio vs. Public Internet Access
4|17|13   |   4:34   |   14 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
Mainframes vs. Servers
4|17|13   |   4:34   |   16 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
TCP/IP vs. Printing Press
4|17|13   |   3:07   |   5 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
BYOD vs. E-Commerce
4|12|13   |   3:12   |   11 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
Telecommuting vs. Outsourcing
4|12|13   |   4:19   |   7 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
Personal Computer vs. Mobile Devices
4|12|13   |   4:28   |   20 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
E2 Editors
Smartphones vs. Productivity Software
4|12|13   |   3:09   |   13 comments

The editors make their predictions about what will win the next match-up in the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.
Tom Nolle
There's More to Mobility Than the Mobile Worker
4|9|13   |   2:03   |   5 comments

Workers are now used to portable device support throughout their everyday lives. We should be looking at the policy of providing fixed-desk devices to support stationary workers. Could portable support be smarter?
Ivan Schneider
From Kim Jong-Un's Trackball to Nuance Voice Ads
4|5|13   |   3:21   |   9 comments

Input devices run the gamut, from the humble Missile Command-style trackball to advanced speech recognition. Unfortunately, these input devices can be used for evil as well as good. Case in point: mobile ads that want you to talk to them.
Tom Nolle
Data/Storage Wish List for Enterprises
4|3|13   |   2:19   |   1 comment

Enterprises want three things in storage systems: First is some speech-recognition way of capturing videoconference data for indexing; second is semantic/AI analysis of emails and IM for content indexing; third is a better system for managing hierarchical layers of storage.
E2 Editors
E2 Editors Go Mad! Episode 3
3|28|13   |   3:22   |   12 comments

March Madness: Susan and Curt face off in a battle over Microsoft Excel, and whether or not it deserved its own spot on the E2 Tournament of IT Revolutionaries.