Clinical robots on Waikato wards
eHealthNews.nz - April 2018
Telepresence robot technology means doctors can virtually meet with patients in other locations for face-to-face consultations, improving the care experience for the consumer.
Waikato District Health Board is trialling the use of clinical robots within its hospitals.
Robots Dougie and Daphne allow Waikato DHB specialists to roam the wards of Waikato and Thames Hospitals from wherever they are based, giving them virtual access to patients elsewhere.
The DHB is trialling the clinical robots for six months and hopes they can help specialists to intervene earlier to improve patient care in rural areas. They are the first of their kind in New Zealand.
The trial is sponsored by the Waikato DHB virtual care programme and uses iPad-based telepresence robots from Double Robotics that can navigate around clinical areas.