Acceptability of Telehealth Triage Using Robotic Systems in COVID-19

Acceptability of Telehealth Triage Using Robotic Systems in COVID-19

The overall objective of this investigation is to understand the patient response to a robotic platform used to facilitate telehealth triage in the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the manner in which emergency department triage is completed. Attempts at cohorting individuals with potential COVID-19 disease in order to prevent disease transmission to healthcare workers and minimize the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) have renewed interest in telemedical solutions as a method to triage and manage individuals with COVID-19. This investigation deploys a legged robotic platform to facilitate agile, highly mobile telemedicine to manage COVID-19 patients in the emergency department. The primary objective is to measure the patient response to interacting with these systems.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Presenting to the emergency department for evaluation
• > 18 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

• Brought to emergency department via ambulance
• <18 years old
• non-english speaking
• in extremis, or unable to participate due to underlying acute medical condition