Robots Help Enhance Doctors' Bedside Manner

August 5, 2005 — -- Dr. Lars Ellison is like many of his colleagues -- overextended. With patients at two different hospitals, the University of California, Davis, urologist can spend hours in surgery. So he has found a new way of making morning rounds.

As part of an experiment in telemedicine, Ellison works the controls of a robot called "Rudy." He can steer the 200-pound device -- which is wheeled and has a camera and screen on top -- down a hospital corridor from his office or home computer. The robot allows him to have two-way conversations with patients such as Irving Dumm.

"You're talking to the man," Dumm said. "It's no difference whether he is here in person or the robot."

A robot may seem impersonal, but surveys show that patients like it. They say it's better than dealing with another doctor at the hospital who hasn't been following their case.

"I like the personal touch of the doctors at my bedside, but with health care as crazy as it is, it doesn't always happen that way anymore," said Kate Weeks, a nurse at the U.C. Davis Medical Center.

Robotics are moving into the operating room, as well. At NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, a robot acts as an automated scrub nurse.

It responds to voice commands, hands the surgeon medical instruments during the surgery, and keeps track of them to reduce mistakes.

"Surgery is hard, surgery is very stressful, and you want to save your energy for the surgery," said Dr. Michael Treat, a surgeon at New York-Presbyterian and founder of the company Robotic Surgical Tech, Inc.

Doctors talk of using robotics so they can help patients in faraway cities, but the bottom line may just be cost -- making time for one doctor to see more people.

"It doesn't make me a better doctor," said Ellison. "It makes me a more available doctor. If that's better, great."

ABC News' Ned Potter filed this report for "World News Tonight."