On the Way to the Future - Assistant Robots in Hospitals and Care Facilities

Assistance robots in the healthcare sector represent an innovative solution to support and relieve the workload of nursing staff but have rarely been used to date. The aim of the study is to identify the added value, experiences, relevant drivers and barriers for the use of assistance robots in healthcare. From May to June 2021, an online survey was carried out with 279 participants from German clinics, inpatient and outpatient care. The target group addressed by the survey was commercial, medical or nursing management, since it can be assumed that they make the investment decisions for assistance robots. In general, the greatest advantages are seen in the relief of the nursing staff and in greater efficiency in the processes. The participants see the greatest added value in cleaning and surgical robots. They also have the most experience with these robotics scenarios so far. Liability, financing and the legal framework can be identified as the greatest obstacles. Compared to clinics and inpatient care, the majority of outpatient care has a more pessimistic perception of the use of assistance robots in healthcare. Overall, the results show that the participants have a positive attitude towards assistance robots and see their added value for use in the healthcare system. At the same time, however, many obstacles still prevent a wide diffusion. It is thus necessary that hurdles, especially in financing, liability issues and other regulations, are removed so that assistant robots can develop their full potential for the German healthcare system.