• Question: In the future will robots be doing the jobs of nurses and doctors

    Asked by The joeff to Ted on 7 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Ted Burke

      Ted Burke answered on 7 Mar 2019:


      In the far future, it’s possible that robots will deliver healthcare in a way that replaces some doctors and nurses, but in the next few years I think it’s much more likely that they will _support_ the work of human healthcare professionals. Robotic devices are already used by some surgeons to perform delicate operations on their patients. Some robotic devices are also used by hospital staff to lift and move patients, which is safer. Also, robotics is increasingly used to automate lab testing of samples, which can speed up diagnosing patients. Artificial intelligence is likely to play an important role in more accurately diagnosing patients – there has been a lot of investment in that area.

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