Robotic Pharmacist 'SAM' Hard At Work

[OhioChick]

NORWALK, Conn. -- Move over R2D2. Here comes SAM.

While R2D2 is "Star Wars" science fiction, SAM is medical science fact.

SAM stands for Safely Administering Medication. It's a robotic pharmacist at Connecticut's Norwalk Hospital. SAM can do in four hours what it took humans more than 24 hours to do, prepare medication for the hospital's patients.

SAM is basically a computer-controlled arm that takes medicine off the shelves and readies it for delivery to the patients.

A human pharmacist double-checks SAM's work. But unlike the humans, SAM doesn't need to take a lunch break.

http://www.newsnet5.com/health/7398011/detail.html

Thoughts?

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Hope there are bar codes on the labeling

so SAM doesn't make a mistake in which med it takes off the shelf.

[htuttle]

2. Well, I bet it won't deny women medication based on their religion

:shrug:

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. On the upside, SAM won't have any moral/ethical/religious issues

to deal with when dispensing medication.

[sui generis]

4. that's nice - so long as there is a real pharmacist there to consult

and so long as they put the right pills in the right bins and don't give some hemophiliac coumadin or some guy birth control pills.

A.K.A. Holey Moley Man Boobies Have Changed My Life!

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

5. Replace the fundy pharmacists with SAM

You can be replaced, assholes, with a non-judgmental robot...bwaahaahaa!!!

[OhioChick]

7. Keep in mind that

the "human pharmacist double" is still there. This tells me that they no longer employ the pharmacy technicians. I see two sides of this issue. Granted, it likely does cut down on error and or ethics issues, but on the flip-side........how many people (probably non-pharmacist positions) will lose their jobs due to outsourcing to SAM?

PS....My pharmacist is a die-hard Dem. :)

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

9. If I owned a pharmacy and wanted to get rid of a trouble-making fundy...

well, SAM offers me an alternative. Since it's tough to fire these fundy idiots for NOT doing their jobs, it would be much slicker (and less of a legal problem) to just replace them with a robot.

Not sure how much Rx tech work SAM replaces...these robots don't move very quickly and probably can't stock/organize drugs very well. I just like the idea that they can replace fundy zealots.

[OhioChick]

10. I see your point......

:)

[SoCalDem]

6. Sam will never ask for social security, medical benefits, vacation

Sam will never "call in sick" to stay home with a sick kid..Sam will never waste "company time" gossiping with fellow-workers..

Sam is the ideal employee :puke:

[mongo]

8. Yes, but does the robot have ethical problems

dispensing the "morning after" pill?

I'm sure one of our legislators will be introducing a bill soon to "protect" the robot's rights.