This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Robotic trail to improve patient care underway
North Bristol NHS Trust is working with the Bristol Robotics Laboratory on the development of robotics and other healthcare technology to improve patients' health and hospital experience.
The collaboration with the at the University of the West of England department will see the trust consider how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and socially and physically assistive robots, could be used to better support patients.
Southmead Hospital is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in Europe, with robots conducting cancer surgery, dispensing pharmacy medicines, transporting supplies, and analysing blood samples. The partnership means that robots could soon become an even more common sight on the site.
An example of their use could be socially assistive robots giving post-operative patients on wards personalised guidance to regularly eat, drink and exercise, helping them to recover physically and mentally in conjunction with their therapy team. Robots connected to smart sensing devices could also be used to help patients recover in the comfort of their own homes. They in future may also be able to assist nurses and doctors back at Southmead when extra treatment or a visit is needed.
Praminda Caleb-Solly, from Bristol Robotics Laboratory, said: “Southmead is one of the UK's pioneering hospitals in its approach to technology, with robots already in use to transport supplies and support more efficient surgical procedures. This partnership will build on that impressive work. By bringing together the university's research expertise and the hospital's clinical expertise we can create a leading centre for healthcare technology.
“Robotics can enable a more effective use of the existing workforce, allowing humans to give the human contact and robots to be used as smart tools to support and complement their work. As such, they can improve the value that is added beyond what is currently available.”
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