After breakfast, we met a kind student from the Bilbao school of engineering who will be studying abroad next fall in the lobby. We all introduced ourselves and explained all of our praises of Pitt and assured her that she would be more than welcome when she arrives in Pittsburgh in the coming months. Afterward, we headed on the bus for an informative tour of the Hospital Gorliz, the home of the Oreka machine we learned about yesterday. The hospital is part of the Osakidetza health network that serves more than 2 million civilians. Rosa Blanca, the hospital’s head, gave us a formal introduction. The hospital operates under a highly personalized model with a focus on quality and personal service. The hospital embraces research and is currently in the process of implementing AI.
Following a moving presentation and an open discussion led by the leaders of Hospital Gorliz, we enjoyed a comprehensive tour of the hospital’s operations. Our lively tour guide took us all over as we explored the rehabilitation floors, where patients underwent balance training. Resembling more of a robotic machine, a specialized lower-body brace was attached around the patient to offer them support as they walked carefully on a treadmill. Upstairs, we were fortunate to observe all the behind-the-scenes work that the nurses did, touring their offices and even where they conduct meetings and store all the medicine and medical devices used in the care of the patients.
At last, we arrived at the Oreka project itself and received a personal demonstration by the engineers who spearheaded the design. When one of the engineers asked for a volunteer to help “demonstrate” a patient’s balance, I shot my hand up and climbed onto the platform (recall the technical description from yesterday’s blog post). As I stepped onto the platform, I observed the linear actuators that attached to joints on the main board and the bars meant for stability. The machine was pretty straightforward: the engineer activated it and went to a control desk to select different movements, which I responded to by trying to keep my balance. With focus and slight nerves, I managed to clear every level :).
We learned how the hospital fit into the larger medical system with the tour guide describing Hospital Gorliz as the “bridge between” acute hospitals and the home. This reflects their earlier-mentioned personal mission.
When the tour concluded, we had the amazing opportunity to walk alongside the coast and venture into the town of Plentzia for lunch. On our way I took ample time to photograph the best scenes from the trip so far!