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机器人技术正在通过精度和力量革新新加坡的医疗保健行业。
医疗辅助和机器人技术中心 (CHART) 正与新加坡樟宜综合医院 (CGH) 合作，以高科技解决方案解决医疗保健方面的问题。自 2015 年以来，新加坡樟宜综合医院拥有 1,000 个床位的医院已经部署了 50 台机器人作为其员工的一部分，其职责范围从执行手术到执行行政工作。
在接受采访时，CHART 总监 Selina Seah 表示，人们越来越意识到机器人在他们的工作中变得不可或缺。她补充说：“由于 COVID-19 以及我们必须以更少的人力照顾更多患者的事实，机器人现在已成为我们日常生活中受欢迎的一部分。”
Seah 表示，新加坡等小国面临的三个问题是人口老龄化、劳动力萎缩和慢性病增加。CHART 正在使用机器人通过达芬奇手术系统协助微创手术。它还利用机器人清洁、运送床单或食物，并将患者抬下床。
机器人帮助的另一个领域是虚拟医疗服务。社交机器人为老年痴呆症患者提供护理和陪伴。它们还有助于缓解压力和焦虑，因此医院可以减少为患者使用镇静剂。
新加坡国立大学机械工程教授马塞洛昂 (Marcelo Ang) 表示，“机器人技术有可能让人们的生活变得更有意义，让他们不要做“五个 D：有辱人格的、有辱人格的、肮脏的、危险的或驾驶的任务。”他补充说，机器人是为了支持而不是取代医护人员。
Seah 指出，将机器人技术集成到工作场所存在挑战，例如需要强大的网络安全来维护数据隐私和防止黑客入侵。然而，随着效率和安全性的提高，尤其是在大流行期间，这些挑战对 CGH 来说是值得的。
除了CGH，哥本哈根大学医院和丹麦的西兰大学医院自 2017 年以来已使用机器人进行血液样本检测和医院设备运送。
Changi General Hospital deploys 50 staff robots
Robotics are innovating the Singaporean healthcare industry through precision and power.
The Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technology (CHART) is working with Singapore's Changi General Hospital (CGH) to solve problems in healthcare with high-technology solutions. The 1,000-bed hospital has deployed 50 robots as part of its staff, with their duties ranging from performing surgery to doing administrative work since 2015.
In an interview with CNN, CHART Director Selina Seah said there is growing awareness of robots becoming indispensable in their work. "Due to COVID-19 and the fact that we have to take care of more patients with less manpower, robots are now a welcome part of our daily life," she added.
Three concerns for small nations like Singapore, according to Seah, are an ageing population, a shrinking workforce, and an increase in chronic disease. CHART is using robots to assist in minimally invasive surgeries by using the da Vinci Surgical System. It also utilizes robots to clean, deliver linen or food, and lift patients off their beds. Another area where robots help is in virtual health services. Social robots provide care and companionship for ageing patients with dementia. They also help alleviate stress and anxiety so the hospital can reduce its use of sedatives for patients.
According to National University of Singapore's Mechanical Engineering Professor Marcelo Ang, "Robotics has a potential to make people's lives more meaningful, by letting them not do the "five Ds: degrading, demeaning, dirty, dangerous or driving tasks." He added that robots are there to support and not replace healthcare workers.
Seah notes there are challenges in integrating robotics into the workplace, such as the need for robust cybersecurity to maintain data privacy and prevent hacking. However, increased efficiency and safety, particularly during the pandemic, have made these challenges worthwhile for CGH.
Aside from CGH, Copenhagen University Hospital and Zealand University Hospital in Denmark have used robots for blood sample testing and hospital equipment delivery since 2017.
