Robots are going to be everywhere in the future, and the seed for that science fiction is sown with smaller help robots of today, roaming around malls and hospitals. But what about those instances where you need the help of a human? A hospital in North Carolina, US, has hired telepresence robots to fill in for doctors – essentially robot bodies with massive screens showing a doctor’s face.
Think of this as the future iteration of the remote medical assistance, where hospitals can make the physical presence of a doctor felt without the person actually stepping in.
The fleet of rolling telepresence robots has begun appearing in North Carolina hospital hallways, allowing physicians to interact with patients remotely from miles away. A social media video showing one of these telepresence robots on the rounds in hospital has gone viral.
Are Robotic doctors in hospitals the future?
In the 12-second clip posted @WallStreetApes on X (formerly Twitter), a black robot with wheels equipped with a large screen glides autonomously down a brightly lit hospital corridor. On the screen is the live video feed of a doctor who appears to be speaking directly to patients or staff.
The robot navigates past medical supply carts, patient rooms, and double doors. The video states that these robots were deployed “to combat doctor burnout and staffing shortages at some locations,” highlighting that a real human physician operates the unit remotely.
Most hospital systems in North Carolina have reportedly turned to these telepresence devices, which are essentially mobile video-conferencing stations on wheels. These devices extend specialist care to understaffed facilities without requiring doctors to be physically present.
Critics and technology enthusiasts state that the robots reduce travel time for physicians, ease workload pressures, and ensure patients in rural or overburdened hospitals still receive expert consultations.
Do robots translate to loss of human touch?
On the other hand, those critical of the technology described the robots as “disgusting,” “crazy,” and some hinting at a further erosion of the human touch in medical care.
“It’s bad enough when they are in front of you,” one user wrote. Others questioned whether the move truly helps reducing burnout or simply allows hospitals to stretch fewer doctors across more facilities while cutting costs. No medical representative has shared their take on the technology so far.
What remains to be seen is whether the technology evolves in the future as more advanced robots start coming in. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has already hinted that his company’s Optimus robot, which is expected to hit mass production within the next few years, could help with healthcare services, replacing humans for manual labour-centric roles.