What Is Robotics in Healthcare?

The first robots introduced to the medical field in the 1980s provided surgical assistance via robotic arm technologies. Since that time, technological advancements leading to greater use of artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and data analytics have transformed medical robots, expanding their capabilities into many other areas of healthcare.

Robots are now used not only in the operating room but also in clinical settings to support healthcare workers and enhance patient care.

For example, AI-enabled robots in healthcare can clean and prep patient rooms independently or reduce the time it takes to identify, match, and distribute medicine to patients in hospitals. Social robots can help improve patients’ well-being or assist visitors with wayfinding. As a result, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers can spend more time providing direct patient care.

The use of robotics and automation also extends to research laboratories, where they automate manual, repetitive, and high-volume tasks so technicians and scientists can focus on more strategic tasks that make discoveries happen faster.

Benefits of Robotics in Healthcare

Using robotics in healthcare enables a high level of patient care, efficient processes in clinical settings, and a safer environment for patients and healthcare workers.

High-Quality Patient Care

Medical robots in hospitals and other care facilities support minimally invasive procedures, customized and frequent monitoring for patients with chronic diseases, intelligent therapeutics, and social engagement for elderly patients. In addition, as robots alleviate workloads, nurses and other caregivers can offer patients more empathy and human interaction, which can promote long-term well-being.

Streamlined Clinical Workflows

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) simplify routine tasks, reduce the physical demands on human workers, and ensure more consistent processes. These robots can address staffing shortages and challenges by keeping track of inventory and placing timely orders to help make sure supplies, equipment, and medication are in stock where needed. Cleaning and disinfection AMRs enable hospital rooms to be sanitized and ready for incoming patients quickly, allowing workers to focus on patient-centric, value-driven work.

Safer Work Environments

To help keep healthcare workers safe, AMRs are used to transport supplies and linens in hospitals where pathogen exposure is a risk. Cleaning and disinfection robots limit pathogen exposure while helping reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)—and hundreds of healthcare facilities are already using them.¹ Social robots, a type of AMR, also help with heavy lifting, such as moving beds or patients, which reduces physical strain on healthcare workers.

Challenges of Robotics in Healthcare

Robots are incredibly useful tools in the medical field. However, decision-makers in the industry still face many hurdles when it comes to implementation, including:

• Cost: While robotics technologies provide longer-term savings through efficiency, the initial investment to acquire the robots and train staff, in addition to ongoing maintenance, can be a barrier to adoption.
• Integration: To provide optimal benefits and coordination of care, robotics solutions should be seamlessly integrated into workflows. This includes ensuring interoperability with relevant healthcare systems for near-real-time data access. In the case of surgical robots, real-time responsiveness is critical to patient safety.
• Safety: Safety related to human-robot interaction is vital, as system failures can have significant consequences. Testing and certification of selected systems and implementation of safety protocols are ways to help ensure the safe use of robots in healthcare and reduce risks.
• Data security and privacy: Any system that collects patient data must protect personal health information. Comfort with security components is a must for any solution being considered to limit patient safety, legal, financial, and reputational risk.
• Change management: New digital systems require extensive training and disrupt established workflows. Robotics also continues to evolve to provide new capabilities and levels of accuracy and precision. Initial and ongoing staff training and ongoing maintenance of solutions are needed to ensure the successful and continued use of any robotics system.
• Ethical concerns: The adoption of robotics in healthcare can raise ethical concerns related to autonomy, decision-making, patient privacy, and appropriate use. Establishing clear guidelines and ethical frameworks is paramount when integrating robotics solutions into healthcare scenarios.
• Trust: Patients and healthcare professionals may be hesitant to use robots. Building confidence in robotics solutions is key to successful adoption. Training and capability demonstrations are two ways healthcare providers can help address this issue.

Examples of Robotics in Healthcare

Many types of robots are used in healthcare, typically for specialized applications.

Surgical-Assistance Robots

As motion control technologies have advanced, surgical-assistance robots have become more precise. These robots help surgeons achieve new levels of speed and accuracy while performing complex operations with AI- and computer vision‒capable technologies. Some surgical robots may even be able to complete tasks autonomously, allowing surgeons to oversee procedures from a console.

The ability to share a video feed from the operating room to other locations—near or far—allows surgeons to benefit from consultations with other specialists in their field. As a result, patients have the best surgeons involved in their procedures.

The field of surgical robotics is evolving to make greater use of AI. Computer vision enables surgical robots to differentiate between types of tissue within their field of view. For example, surgical robots now have the ability to help surgeons avoid nerves and muscles during procedures.² High-definition 3D computer vision can provide surgeons with detailed information to enhance surgical performance. Eventually, robots will be able to take over small subprocedures, such as suturing or other defined tasks, under the watchful gaze of the surgeon.

Robotics also plays a key role in surgeon education. Simulation platforms use AI and virtual reality to provide surgical robotics training. Within the virtual environment, surgeons can practice procedures and hone skills using robotics controls.

Surgical Use Cases

Surgeries performed with robotics assistance fall into two main categories:

• Orthopedic surgeries: Robotic devices can be preprogrammed to perform common orthopedic surgeries, such as knee and hip replacements. Combining smart robotic arms, 3D imaging, and data analytics, these robots enable more predictable results by employing spatially defined boundaries to assist the surgeon. AI modeling enables robots to be trained in specific orthopedic surgeries, with precise directions for where to go and how to perform the procedures.
• Minimally invasive surgeries: Common minimally invasive surgeries done by robots include hysterectomies, prostatectomies, bariatric surgery, and other procedures primarily focused on soft tissues. After insertion through a small incision, these robots lock themselves into place, creating a stable platform from which to perform surgeries via remote control.
  
  Open surgery using large incisions was once the norm for most internal procedures. Recovery times were much longer, and the potential for infection and other complications was greater. Working manually through a button-sized incision is extremely difficult, even for an experienced surgeon. Surgical robots make these procedures easy and accurate, with the goal of reducing infections and other complications.

Modular Robots

Modular robots enhance other systems and can be configured to perform multiple functions. In healthcare, these include therapeutic exoskeleton robots and prosthetic robotic arms and legs.

Therapeutic robots can help with rehabilitation after strokes, paralysis, or traumatic brain injuries or with impairments caused by multiple sclerosis. Robots equipped with AI and depth cameras can monitor a patient’s form as they go through prescribed exercises, measuring degrees of motion in different positions and tracking progress more precisely than the human eye. They can also interact with patients to provide coaching and encouragement.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

Healthcare organizations often rely on AMRs because of their ability to assist with critical needs such as disinfection, telepresence, and delivery of medication and medical supplies. All of which helps to create safe environments while freeing up staff to spend more time with patients. When equipped with computer vision or mapping capabilities, AMRs can self-navigate to patients in exam or hospital rooms, allowing clinicians to interact from afar as needed. If an AMR is controlled by a remote specialist or another worker, it can accompany doctors as they make hospital rounds, allowing a specialist to contribute via an on-screen consultation regarding patient diagnostics and care.

Other types of AMRs that are used in healthcare include service robots and social robots.

Service Robots

Service robots relieve the daily burden on healthcare workers by handling routine logistical tasks. Many of these robots function autonomously and can send a report when they complete a task. These robots set up patient rooms, track supplies, file purchase orders, restock medical supply cabinets, and transport bed linens to or from laundry facilities. Having some routine tasks performed by service robots gives healthcare workers more time to focus on immediate patient needs and can help with increasing job satisfaction.

Service robots can also help with cleaning and disinfection. These AMRs may use ultraviolet (UV) light, hydrogen peroxide vapors, or air filtration to reduce infection and uniformly sanitize reachable places.

Social Robots

Social robots interact directly with humans. These “friendly” AMRs can be used in long-term care environments to provide social interaction and monitoring. They may encourage patients to comply with treatment regimens or provide cognitive engagement, helping to keep patients alert and positive. They can also be used to offer directions to visitors and patients inside the hospital environment. In general, social robots help reduce caregiver workloads and improve patients’ emotional well-being.

The Future of Robotics in Healthcare

As machine learning, data analytics, computer vision, AI, and other technologies advance, medical robotics will evolve to complete tasks autonomously, more efficiently, and more accurately.

Ongoing innovation and the discovery of new applications for AI and IoT technologies within the field of medical robotics will help increase automation, drive efficiencies, and solve some of our greatest healthcare challenges.