Robotics in Healthcare
Technology has managed to take over all the industries and sectors in the economy (Cresswell et al., 2018). Healthcare has not been left behind when it comes to embracing innovation. For many years, healthcare organizations have been looking for ways in which they can improve the quality of services to the patients. The emergence of technologies in the field has enabled most of the facilities to realize their objectives and goals. Failure to incorporate recent technologies puts the healthcare organizations in a disadvantageous position as far as competition is concerned. The use of robotics is one of the approaches practiced in healthcare. It has transformed various departments within the provision of the health services domain. Robotics involves an interdisciplinary technique that consists of the use of engineering and computer science concepts. The paper describes robotics in the healthcare sector, its applications, and advantages and also the disadvantages associated with the technology. Facilities need to embrace robotics in healthcare because it presents a cost-effective mechanism that increases accuracies and efficiencies in all the activities.
Description of Robotics
The current world is characterized by exciting and fascinating developments in technology and science. Robotics has been widely accepted and used in the healthcare arena. It is because of the perceived benefits that are associated with robotics implementation. The technology involves the incorporation of artificial intelligence concepts to enable robots to perform tasks that were previously reserved for human beings (Loh, 2018). Such machines are fed with intelligence so that they can make decisions in a better way than humans can do. As a result, robotics has been highly welcomed in the healthcare environment. They can perform duties that even dangerous and delicate. However, its implementation has been surrounded by debates associated with its drawbacks and benefits.
Applications of Robotics in Healthcare
Robotics has been able to transform the various departments within a healthcare facility. It has been used in almost all aspects of healthcare delivery. Firstly, robots have been incorporated as medical assistants in the facilities (Stahl & Coeckelbergh, 2016). Such technologies can monitor and evaluate the vital statistics associated with patients who are hospitalized. Robots can monitor the temperatures, blood pressures, among other elements that can indicate the health status of the individuals. Whenever there is a deviation from the normal figure, the robots can raise the alarm and alert the practitioners on the situation. Therefore, the technology can notify the nurses if the human presence is required as far as the hospitalized patients are concerned.
The robots are also instrumental when it comes to updating the records. Such technologies are used to enter patient data into electronic health records. The robotics facilitates the automation of all the processes associated with the collection of patient data and also the analysis process. Additionally, robotics technology is used to provide surgical assistance to medical practitioners (Kim, 2018). In such a scenario, the robots are controlled with a remote by an individual in a distinct location. The surgeons might be in other rooms or distant locations but are still able to conduct surgeries courtesy of robotics. Surgeons can manipulate the arms of the robots leading to successful operations.
There are also rehabilitation robots that are paramount in the healthcare field. Ona et al. (2019) indicated that robotics could be used to rehabilitate individuals affected by neurological disabilities. It aids in improving their mobility aspects and coordination. Additionally, robots assist individuals in gaining the necessary strength that would increase their independence. The robots are customized to fit each individual’s condition, including trauma, stroke, and spinal injuries, among other issues. As a result, the robots can adequately train individuals depending on the underlying conditions. Within a short time, the patients can gain their balances and walking abilities due to engagements with robots.
Additionally, some robots are used for transportation purposes in several healthcare facilities. Meals, medications, and other supplies are always transported in the healthcare fraternity. The robots have chipped in to help clinicians, patients, and caregivers (Riek, 2017). Such technology can deliver meals to the staff and patients at any given time. It is because such machines can easily navigate through the premises. As a result, there is an optimization of information exchange between the patients, the doctors, and other staff members. Finally, the robotics has been significantly used for disinfection and sanitation purposes. Robots are preferred for disinfection because of an increase in deadly and highly infectious diseases. Such machines can quickly disinfect the surfaces using hydrogen peroxide or any other disinfectants.
Advantages of Robotics in Healthcare
The incorporation of robotics in the field of healthcare has been highly associated with benefits. As a result, the facilities have incorporated the robotics agenda in their respective long term strategies. One of the notable advantages associated with machines in healthcare is that it relieves the workforce with routine duties. Some activities are monotonous in healthcare fraternity. It can lead to boredom whenever human beings in the facilities perform such operations. Therefore, the robots present the answer to the tasks that can lead to boredom among the workforce. Furthermore, human beings can be subjected to prejudice whenever they perform their assigned duties. Such preconceived opinions and perceptions undermine the provision of quality services to the patients. The exhibition of prejudice can be articulated to differences in race, age, gender, and other elements. The machines can conduct their operations without biasness because they treat all individuals based on programs and artificial intelligence. Such technologies have no emotions or feelings that would enable them to relate to individuals.
For an extended period, the hospitals have been issues of medical errors that might cause fatalities in hospitals. The facilities have been struggling to find the mitigation that would make such errors disappear. The use of robotics has been able to make surgical procedures to be safer and less invasive. It has led to smoother operations by surgeons and has minimized the resulting stress that is always associated with operations. Furthermore, the safety records of the underlying procedures have been significantly improved. The robots have enhanced the data acquisition process as well as automatic storage (Ona et al., 2019). Therefore, its incorporation helps in minimizing the errors associated with human beings.
The use of robotics in healthcare fraternity presents organizations with a cost-effective mechanism to run their activities. Incorporation of such machines enables facilities to save on the costs associated with labor. Such organizations would not need to recruit additional staff to perform tasks. The robots are quicker to learn and are characterized by reduced maintenance costs. They are also able to perform repetitive tasks that that human being might find them boring. An increase in efficiency and productivity are also some of the benefits. Optimal productivity is realized because the robots are assigned most of the tasks. On the other hand, medical practitioners can concentrate all their energies and efforts on other relevant areas such as research.
Disadvantages of Robotics
Even though the robotics presents advantageous opportunities for healthcare facilities to capitalize on, there are drawbacks associated with it. Its negative implications have raised concerns over its applicability in the sector. The use of such machines is associated with unemployment issues. Significant incorporation of robotics in the healthcare field would lead to massive loss of jobs. According to Loh (2018), one industrial robot can cause a drop in employment of 5.6 workers. The organizations would not need to recruit additional staff while at the same time, firing the existing ones. Loss of jobs courtesy of robots would lead to serious economic implications among the affected individuals.
Additionally, the acquisition of robots in healthcare fraternity is associated with high initial costs (Kim, 2018). The facilities have to stretch out of their budgets to acquire the machines. It is because such organizations are unable to manufacture their robots. The costs for the robots performing complex operations such as surgeries are too high, and most of the facilities might not be able to afford it. Therefore, the initial expenses might scare away healthcare organizations willing to incorporate robotics into their procedures. Furthermore, the training of the personnel to operate such machines is expensive. The individuals have to be equipped with sophisticated knowledge to engage the machines adequately.
Products resulting from technological advancements are not always perfect. It is because they are developed by human beings who can also make mistakes. Therefore, the robots might be prone to technical difficulties and mechanical issues. The emergence of such problems when the robots are undertaking complex procedures such as surgeries can be disastrous. Organizations may fail to recover from the failures of the robots (Riek, 2017). Thus, the robots are not a hundred percent functional and might cause problems due to technical itches. Whenever fatalities occur, the respective healthcare organizations can face litigations from the complainants.
In conclusion, the use of robotics in healthcare has been a game-changer in the field. The merging of science and technology has led to the development of machines that increase efficiencies in healthcare organizations. It is used to rehabilitate patients, for transportation, as medical and surgical assistants. Its implementation reduces costs, increases accuracy, and relieves the staff of the repetitive tasks. However, it is associated with high initial costs, unemployment, and the occurrence of technical problems. Healthcare organizations should embrace robotics by capitalizing on their advantages.