Robotic systems in health care

Abstract

This paper reflects on a novel concept of robotization in the health care sector. The idea is to design a robotic system capable of performing remote physical examination with palpation (i.e., pressing a patient's stomach to identify pain regions and stiffness of organs) and ultrasonography. The medical robotic system will consist of a remote haptic interface for the doctor and a robot located at the patient's side supported by an assistant. In two countries (Austria and Poland), we conducted first focus groups with doctors in order to identify how the remote medical diagnostician system is assessed and conceptualized regarding the examination procedures (activities), communication issues, and the visualization of needed information. Based on the findings, we will reflect on the technology assessment, i.e., if remote medical services can be a suitable possibility for rural areas where the availability of doctors with various specializations is often a problem, as well as necessities for this novel type of medical treatment from a doctor's point of view (i.e., identified aspects increasing acceptance and adoption by users of the system).