Trend #3: Care beyond the clinic
Patients outnumber healthcare professionals many fold over. According to the World Health Organization, almost half of its member states have fewer than one physician per thousand people. Thus, technologies that reduce administrative gridlock, ease the burden of primary care and allow doctors to attend to a larger patient pool are sorely needed.
Chatbots
The customer service or administrative aspects of healthcare can be automated using chatbots—digital assistants with natural language processing capabilities to understand textual or spoken language. For instance, China’s Baidu has developed a chatbot called Melody that helps patients book medical appointments. It also answers health-related questions online, thereby freeing up nurses and peripheral health workers to focus more on patient care. Chatbots affiliated with hospitals could therefore serve as a reliable source of medical information for individuals and allow more frequent patient engagement.
Companion robots
Loneliness has been associated with the onset of physical and cognitive impairment in the elderly. To improve the health of seniors living alone, healthcare systems around the world are exploring the use of companion robots capable of providing emotional support.
Developed by Japan’s Softbank Robotics Corporation, Pepper is one of the most advanced humanoid robots being deployed for eldercare. Not only does Pepper recognize facial expressions, it can hold conversations in 15 different languages, making it ideal for keeping the elderly mentally stimulated. Being available 24/7, such robots can remind their wards to take their medication and alert loved ones of emergencies as well.
This article was first published in the January 2019 print version of Asian Scientist Magazine.
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