I’m writing to express my concern over a robot used by doctors at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont (“Fremont man learns he’s dying from doctor on robot video” in the March 8 edition of the Daily Journal). The robot was used to inform the Quintara family through a live video that their grandfather does not have much more time to live. I recently lost my mother-in-law due to caner and I would have been extremely upset if a doctor would have told us through a robot that she didn’t have much longer to live. As a Kaiser patient myself, I am disappointed about their service of work in using a robot to deliver such news.
It is already difficult and a sensitive time for families to have to bring a loved one to the hospital for care. To have a robot with a doctor speaking through a video is wrong and impersonal. It is unhuman to not have a doctor physically present to speak to the family about life or death circumstances.
I understand doctors are busy and have many clients to see, but it’s necessary and important to have a doctor physically present to deliver medical information to the family. There will be questions, medical concerns that arise, family opinions, reactions and emotions the family may present where physical presence of a doctor can help families feel comfortable in such circumstance. I’m not saying having a robot at a hospital to help deliver services for clients is completely bad because they can be used for other needs, but robots are not for delivering sensitive information to families.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.