Tech & Innovation in Healthcare

Question: I love starting my robot vacuum to clean the floors after I leave for work in the morning. I wish I could also automate any nonclinical tasks, so I could focus on delivering care to our patients. Is there any technology that could eventually take items off my professional to-do list?

Illinois Subscriber

Answer: A robot vacuum is such a helpful addition to any busy home, and recently ChristianaCare, a not-for-profit health system in Delaware, added robots to their clinical staff.

The collaborative robots, also known as cobots, are designed to work alongside nurses and perform nonclinical tasks, so the nurses and other hospital staff can focus on delivering care to the patients. Named Moxi, the five cobots are capable of working 22-hour shifts, can carry up to 70 pounds, and fully charge in two hours. Once fully integrated, the cobots will be capable of completing up to 200 delivery tasks per day, which will save nurses time and energy.

The cobots connect to the system’s electronic health record (EHR) data, so the machines can perform tasks with minimal human involvement since they’ll be able to anticipate both the providers’ and patients’ needs. Equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), the cobots can know when nurses need medications or equipment.

The robots are also equipped with “social intelligence,” which allows the machines to safely navigate hallways without bumping into objects or people. Plus, they can use their arms to open automatic doors and elevator panels. As the cobots operate each day, they’ll learn and adapt to the environment, so eventually they’ll be capable of working autonomously.

The five cobots were purchased with help from a $1.5 million grant from the American Nurses Foundation.