Hancock County Memorial Hospital (HCMH), in Britt, Iowa, has implemented the Remote Presence RP-7 system for physicians to round on their patients following surgery. Dr. Richard Unger performs regular procedures at HCMH and tracks the progress of his patients in the days following the surgery by using the RP-7 from his home two hours away. Allowing these surgeries to continue permits the local community to have expertise available when needed.

"...It allows me to be there immediately," said Unger. "It is a huge timesaver for me and for my patients."

Along with cutting physician response time, the hospital plans on making the robot available to specialists to connect to their Emergency Department. This will allow patients to get the best care possible at their local hospital.

"...This is one more tool we have to extend and improve health care delivery to our patients," said Vance Jackson, HCMH CEO/Administrator. "The remote presence of specialist physicians in our rural hospital will result in improved care, shorter length of stay, and increased satisfaction for our patients, staff and providers."