These robodocs from Bengaluru hospital measure your temperature, assign you specialists
Two robots have been introduced at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, to ensure there is little or no contact between patients and hospital staffers.
Published: 30th April 2020 06:09 AM | Last Updated: 30th April 2020 06:09 AM | A+A A-
One of the two Mitra Robots | EXPRESS
BENGALURU: Two robots have been introduced at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, to ensure there is little or no contact between patients and hospital staffers. The job of the robots is to check the temperature of the patients visiting the OPD, note all symptoms and health condition of the patients before assisting them to the right doctors and flu clinics. The first robot (Mitra Robot) checks the patient’s fever and takes down all details, the second one assesses for COVID and flu symptoms, arranges a video call with the doctor and then issues a slip to the patient to visit the doctors.
Dr Manish Mattoo, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospitals, told TNIE, “The robots reduce the interface between citizens. They have helped in crowd and queue management. Each robot spends not more than 20 seconds with each patient. They also help maintain hygiene protocols.”
He explained that the doctors do meet patients physically. But depending upon their condition, the patients are either sent to flu clinics or directed to other doctors. These robots have been placed at the OPD only.
There is a separate section and entry point for emergency cases. Before the lockdown, the hospital would get at least 900- 1,000 cases, now it has reduced to 300- 800, where every hour around 30 patients visit. The robots were introduced three weeks back and are a classic example of the best use of technology in healthcare services. These are industrial robots. Now since the industries are shut, the hospital has deployed them.
The hospital plans to add more if there is a surge of patients and even at other branches. Dr Mattoo said the need for the robots rose because of the bulk patients coming in per day and putting a strain on over 300 staffers. This decision was taken to ensure there was no community transmission and for the safety of the people. It’s an additional security layer. “We anticipate that partial lockdown will continue for the next three-four months, patients and hospital staffers need to be cautious. So robots will help meet the surge,” he added.
