Ever since the advancement of the digitalization of healthcare in the 1990s, robotics has been increasingly common. Robotics assistants are being utilized in many different sectors such as surgery, administration, healthcare enhancement, and patient support. However, many voices are criticizing the increased invasiveness of technology in the medical field. This is due to loss of autonomy to the patient and proneness to failures. Despite this statement, robotic equipment will be more prevalent in future healthcare due to improving patient outcomes and easing the burden to the medical staff.
To begin with, many people argue robots reduce the workload on the medical staff, as the healthcare industry is faced with chronic problems of staff shortages. The medical sector also reports intensive tasks such as delivering supplies. Similarly, robots could free up staff shortages by performing tasks that do not require a human perspective. They are programmed to process many different health outcomes, such as assisting patients in moving around the ward and delivering food and medications to hospital rooms.
This is especially significant in patients at risk of ulcers and falls. Thus, robots reduce the burden on the medical staff, which is critical for patient satisfaction. In turn, this will be associated with a reduction in the workload of medical staff, especially among nurses that have previously been reported to have an unhealthy number of working hours.
Another significant advantage of robots is the ability to perform tasks accurately and more efficiently than people. People have been reported to have a sense of memory lapses, causing ill judgment and medical errors. By securing minimal error risks, robots promote the ethical principle of non-maleficence. For example, robots can conduct pre-determined tasks that they will not forget. A mistake will not be present such as the number of pills a patient requires will not be misplaced. Therefore, administering tasks or medication will result in a more successful outcome. In turn, robots will be reliable every day, allowing medical facilities to operate at higher capacity around the clock.
Some people argue robotics should not be used in health care because they are expensive, and their use increases the overall costs by thousands. However, such a view fails to consider that robotics has become more entrenched in healthcare. This will result in product prices decreasing.
The benefit provided to the patient will improve the quality of care by increasing a personalized approach to every patient’s needs. Thus, adaptability has always been the primary feature in many electronic devices in healthcare, resulting in supremacy over financial issues. Apart from production prices decreasing, the proper allocation of responsibilities among practitioners with the help of robots will result in significantly lower turnover rates. Annually, hospitals may lose millions of dollars due to nurse turnover, so facilitating their work patterns will justify the expenses on robotics.
In conclusion, robotics are useful devices that should be implemented into medicine. It can provide rudimentary care and excellent service to the patient. Also, technology can look after recovery and elderly patients, administer medication, and provide maintenance. Yet, the complication of costs and dehumanizing of patients has been present. This can be overcome by reducing production costs and allowing for better interconnectivity between patients and machines. Overall, further development and acceptance of robotics in medical healthcare would be suitable for everyone.