Focus: Technology

Robot with video link used to tell patient he’s dying

Doctor in California told a patient he had only days left


A 78-year-old man was at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont when a doctor - appearing on the robot's screen - informed him that he would die within a few days, according to an article on the BBC website.

The man died the next day. The hospital says it "regrets falling short" of the family's expectations.

"I think the technological advances in medicine have been wonderful, but the line of 'where' and 'when' need to be black and white," said a friend of the man’s family.

Michelle Gaskill-Hames, senior vice-president of Kaiser Permanente Greater Southern Alameda County, said in a statement that its policy was to have a nurse or doctor in the room when remote consultations took place.

Read the article.



March 19, 2019


Topic Area: Information Technology


Recent Posts

Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles

Thoughtful design can establish the calm of a spa and the restorative feeling of a resort in healthcare spaces, bringing benefits for patients and care providers.


UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion

Work is already underway with substantial completion anticipated in the fall of 2027.


Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion

The first two floors opened for patients in May 2025 and house the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center.


Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population

Traditional responses — building more primary and secondary care facilities — are no longer sustainable.


Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh

The organization broke ground on the health campus in March 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.