"At the end of the day, if an ambulance ride costs me $1200 in NYC, I can’t begin to imagine what an in-home robot visit would cost. Dr. Easy seems like way better company than NYC’s ambulance drivers though."
Something we hadn't considered is the perspective on Dr Easy of someone who hasn't grown up with a state funded healthcare system. We imagined the robots of the film making healthcare more accessible to the masses, not less. The reasoning was: however expensive a robot might be, a human doctor with all their training and wages would inevitably cost more in the long run. Plus robots can work without fatigue and with access to a central server, you'd always see "your" doctor wherever you are, any time of day or night.
But of course these are idealistic notions and while automation in any industry can reduce overheads, savings are not necessarily passed on to the consumer. Perhaps Dr Easy's would just represent another career path consigned to the dustbin.
In any case, thanks Vice for the nice write up!
Dr Easy on Vice.com
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