For the first time in Saskatchewan, a Saskatoon doctor remotely treated and admitted a patient to a local hospital using a robot.
Sixteen-month-old Angel was suffering from severe dehydration and had an abnormal heart rate. Instead of traveling to a Saskatoon hospital to see a pediatric specialist, the doctor came to her in her home in La Loche.
“The idea that we could extend ourselves and a child in crisis at home, and not uproot their family to receive care in Saskatoon, but rather extend ourselves to them – it was very meaningful,” Dr. Tanya Holt said.
Angel’s condition improved and doctors were able to diagnose her with pneumonia using robotic technology.
The robot used to help Angel has a camera, microphone and stethoscope. Doctors can assess patients and give instruction to on-scene physicians.
“We were actually able to utilize their diagnostics to make a diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan together,” Holt told CTV News.
Medical professionals say it’s important to cut down on travel time and expenses for families in remote communities.
“The less we have to bring children to Saskatoon, or other big centres, the more successful we are. Why is that? Because they’ll be able to be treated in their home environment with their parents next to them,” Saskatchewan’s head of pediatrics Dr. Laurence Givelichian said.
He said the department will be getting an additional three robots soon, with the plan to add more each year.
