How Robotics is Transforming Healthcare - Inc. Magazine Feature
- Matthew Chang
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Many of the best use cases for robotics in healthcare are not science fiction, but expansions on efficiency, work capacity, and good common sense.
As partners in an engineering company that provides advanced automation, we get interesting reactions to the concept of bringing robots to healthcare. For some, it invokes sci-fi visions of robot-assisted surgeries. Others learning that our goal is to expand the scope and effectiveness of human healthcare workers have a skeptical reaction.
Nurses and other workers in healthcare often fear that robots will be unhelpful and get in the way. As I covered in my own TEDx talk, once they begin to interact with the technology, however, they quickly realize the systems are designed to assist them, not replace them, to reduce their work burdens and improve patient care.
Our work in hospital automation is deeply personal; as leadership colleagues, both Kate McAfoose (our president and my coauthor here) and I grew up with mothers who were nurses. We’ve seen firsthand the physical and emotional toll of the profession. Burnout, injuries, long shifts, and staff shortages are long-standing issues that the COVID-19 pandemic made even worse. It led to mass resignations, with my own mother’s PACU unit losing 40 percent of their experience in one month during 2022. This made us doubly motivated to leverage automation and robotics in every way we can to alleviate some of these workforce challenges.
Autonomous mobile “bots” of all sizes
Our approach is built around autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)—also known as cobots—that are designed to work collaboratively with humans. Unlike robots that operate in isolation, cobots navigate the space around them with advanced scanning technology to provide optimal support for carrying, lifting, and sorting without disrupting hospital workflows.
In our manufacturing and distribution arms, we’ve deployed AMRs in large-scale projects for Fortune 500 manufacturers, helping workers with redundant or “heavy-lift” tasks. But when we applied this expertise to healthcare, we saw an equally important opportunity to help nurses and health practitioners by automating their time-consuming logistical tasks such as delivering supplies and medications, transporting meals and personal care items to patient rooms, and eliminating unnecessary walking and administrative strain.
With these systems, nurses can simply fill an order on their tablet, and within 90 seconds, a robot arrives to complete the requested task, allowing nurses to focus on patient care rather than running errands in the hospital. This requires zero extra work for the nurse, since they already place orders on their device.
Demonstrate real-world impact
To measure our impact, we conducted time studies during pilot programs in hospitals. The data revealed that our robotic systems save each nurse approximately 15 percent of their shift in walking time, in addition to reducing their lifting and carrying strain. Our experience is that adoption rises quickly when practitioners experience the benefits of robotic automation firsthand. In one of our pilot programs, nurse adoption rates grew to nearly 100 percent within five weeks. Even more interesting, when the program paused for evaluation, nurses continually asked when the robots would be back, demonstrating just how essential these systems had become. We estimate that the daily time savings for a nurse can top out at 40 percent when all use cases are combined.
The next step: Curabotics
Given the overwhelming success of our hospital automation projects, we’re now announcing a new division of our company, Curabotics, dedicated exclusively to healthcare technology solutions. While our focus began with nurse-assist robots, we’re now expanding into other healthcare innovations, including:
Handheld X-ray machines the size of a briefcase, which require no protective gear and can send images directly to a mobile device.
AI-powered facial scans capable of detecting prediabetes and other early health indicators.
By integrating these technologies, we aim to create a comprehensive ecosystem that enhances both hospital efficiency and patient outcomes.
The future of robotics and AI in healthcare
The adoption of robotics and automation is still in its early stages, but demand is steadily growing. For example, the Samsung Medical Center in Korea just announced at HIMSS 2025 the implementation of robotic nurse assistants that reduced nurse turnover from 9.3 percent to 5.9 percent, compared to 16.4 percent turnover in the U.S. This news underscores the profound impact automation can have on workforce retention and job satisfaction.
As we move forward, data-driven decision making will be increasingly crucial as well. Many healthcare organizations lack structured data on their logistical inefficiencies, making automation implementation more challenging. However, by leveraging AI responsibly and ensuring that robotics are introduced with a focus on support rather than replacement, we can create a more sustainable and effective healthcare workforce.
For those considering a career or investment in robotics and automation, Kate’s advice, as provided in a podcast interview during HIMSS, is simple: Be data-driven, responsible, and forward-thinking. AI and robotics are powerful tools, but they must be implemented with care and transparency to maximize their positive impact. Our goal is not just to introduce new technology but to redefine how healthcare teams operate, making hospitals more efficient and empowering nurses to do what they do best—care for their patients.
There is an opportunity for much more innovation in this space. To every extent possible, we are committed to leading this charge, and to ensuring that innovation continues to serve the people who need it the most.
We believe that nurses and doctors deserve the best tools to practice medicine, which include robots.
About Inc. Magazine:
Inc. Magazine is a premier business media brand dedicated to inspiring and informing entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators. Renowned for its focus on growth, leadership, and the stories behind successful companies, Inc. highlights transformative ideas and influential voices across industries. We’re excited to share that Chang Robotics’ founder, Matthew Chang, is now a contributing author, bringing insights on robotics, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership to their readership.