Hospitals scale back on robots, infusion devices in tough economy

As the recession pinches even hospitals, they're cutting back on spending. Shares of Intuitive Surgical were down about 6% in afternoon trading after the company's fourth quarter sales fell short due to weakened demand for its surgical robots that perform some of the precision work of prostate and gynecological surgery. Cardinal Health has also predicted "softness" in sales of capital equipment to hospitals this year as they delay that sort of spending.