Groundbreaking, medical robots revolutionising non-contact patient management at Brisbane hospital

Groundbreaking medical robots are being rolled out at a Brisbane hospital, allowing medical workers to safely treat patients from the bedside and humanising communication between family members and hospitalised loved ones.

A Queensland hospital is rolling out a groundbreaking, pint sized robot which can be at the bedside of patients in isolation, keeping medics and family members in communication but safe from infection.

Greenslopes Private Hospital’s newest member of staff is Temi, a moving, screen-carrying telepresence robot that is revolutionising ‘non-contact patient management’.

Medical robot, Temi, interacts with a patient outside Greenslopes Private Hospital Emergency Centre. Picture: Tobias Jurss-Lewis

Emergency Centre Director Dr Mark Baldwin said the robot would allow doctors and family members to be at the bedside of patients while maintaining strict infection control measures at the Ramsay Health Care hospital Brisbane.

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“The robot can steer around a ward or emergency department autonomously … and follow a patient without any other person being present,” Dr Baldwin said.

“Temi’s head is in fact a small television monitor which has a live feed of the doctor or staff member who wants to speak with the patient.”

Temi carries a screen which can project video of medical personnel or family members. Picture: Tobias Jurss-Lewis

“There is a little tray behind the monitor which can carry items like medical equipment, medications or even sanitiser and masks.”

The robot will decrease PPE use, as well as allowing patents to receive face-to-face treatment that might not have previously been available.

“We’ve found that using PPE to get people into the same space as a patient is a real problem … We’ve got physiotherapists, dietitians and they can’t communicate with the patient without using PPE.

“That means in some circumstances they just don’t get in there, and this is a way in future for us to be able to do that.”

Medical robot, Temi, interacts with a patient outside Greenslopes Private Hospital Emergency Centre. Picture: Tobias Jurss-Lewis

While providing a crucial safeguard for staff and visitors, Dr Baldwin said the robot was also a forward step in humanising remote patient correspondence.

“Temi’s head is at the height of a patient in bed or seated in a chair,” Dr Baldwin said.

“Patients have found it quite humanistic being able to interact with a face even if it is on a screen.”

Greenslopes Private Hospital CEO, Chris Went, said Temi was one of two robots purchased from a Melbourne company, Exaptec, which specialises in social service and telepresence robots.

“ (Temi) is based in our emergency department and (another robot) is ready in our COVID ward should we need it,” she said.