What is Rovio?
"Rovio is a WiFi-enabled mobile webcam that allows you see, hear, and speak from anywhere in the world... as if you were right there in the room."
It could potentially be used as a "portable doctor" -- without the physical examination part (an important limitation).
A recent study compared desktop videoconferencing to conventional face-to-face visits for a range of commonly presenting problems in a general practice. A total of 175 patients were recruited.
In the first arm, the patients completed a visit (virtual or face-to-face) with a physician; they then completed a second visit via the other modality with another physician. In the second arm of the study, subjects had both visits face-to-face; different physicians conducted the two face-to-face consultations.
Patients found virtual visits similar to face-to-face visits on most measures, including time spent with the physician, ease of interaction and personal aspects of the interaction. Physicians were also highly satisfied with the virtual visit modality.
The diagnostic agreement between physicians was 84% between face-to-face and virtual visits; it was 80% between the two face-to-face visits.
Rovio at CES 2008, from Engadget.
From Twitter:
vene2ia Rovio is a good idea for a portable doctor. However, it can't be an interventionalist
References:
A randomized trial of virtual visits in a general medicine practice. Ronald F Dixon and James E Stahl. J Telemed Telecare 2009;15:115-117.
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