Implications of Medical Robots in Healthcare

Abstract

This paper examines the increasing integration of robotics across healthcare for applications ranging from pharmaceutical production to surgical assistance. As automation continues advancing, thoughtful oversight is required to optimize safety, effectiveness, and ethical use. Evidence-based policies must proactively shape development to maximize societal benefit. If guided prudently, collaborative human-robot healthcare may usher an era of improved access, quality, and discovery transcending current constraints. Achieving this optimal outcome, however, requires informed public discourse to integrate emerging technologies optimally. By engaging with medical robotics’ progress, it is possible to gain the foresight needed to harness these technologies for the common good.

The Implications of Robots in Healthcare

Since time immemorial, healthcare has been the sole purview of human practitioners, but things are changing and robots are increasingly assuming this vitally important role (Oborn et al., 2011). Indeed, robots are already performing life-saving surgeries and it is reasonable to suggest that their use will continue to increase in the future. To evaluate the potential effects of these trends, the purpose of this paper is to assess the implications of robots in healthcare in the U.S. for the foreseeable future, followed by a summary of the research and significant findings in the conclusion.

Review and Evaluation

Today, most people are fascinated by robots and their potential to benefit humankind, but many are also concerned about a “SkyNet” eventuality where robots become sentient and try to rule the world. Notwithstanding this possibility, the reality at present is that robots are clearly here to stay and their use in a wide array of healthcare settings is becoming commonplace (Oborn et al., 2011). In sum, robots are increasingly being used in healthcare settings to assist with a variety of applications, from routine medication delivery to complex surgical procedures. Robotic technologies are allowing healthcare providers to leverage automation for improved efficiency, accuracy, and consistency in delivering high-quality patient care.

It is noteworthy but perhaps not surprisingly that there are also some important social and ethical issues involved in the use of robots in healthcare settings (Lehoux & Grimard, 2018). For instance, research has shown that older healthcare consumers are receptive to the provision of support services from assistive robots to help them live independently at home for as long as possible, but it remains unclear whether robots should completely assume these responsibilities or if the ongoing oversight of a human healthcare practitioner is still required (Lehoux & Grimard, 2018). Given the rapidly aging population in the U.S., these are important considerations that must be resolved as soon as possible before the full range of benefits from robots in healthcare can be realized (Lehoux & Grimard, 2018).

Likewise, younger healthcare consumers can also benefit from robotics as part of their healthcare regimens. For example, a study by Sinoo et al. (2018) found that children are especially amenable to the use of physical robot and digital robot in the form of an avatar to help them with their healthcare self-management. Since young people today are raised on technology, this outcome is not surprising but it is important given the potential for these resources to reduce healthcare costs and improve clinical outcomes (Sinoo et al., 2018).

Finally, the adoption of robotics in healthcare holds significant potential benefits but also introduces unsetting changes. Therefore, it is essential to remain informed concerning scientific advances in medical robotics so that the public and policymakers can thoughtfully adapt to leverage automation while addressing risks (Mesko, 2016). If guided prudently, collaborative human-robot healthcare could lead to breakthroughs that transcend current limitations. Oversight and planning, though, are essential to ensure emerging technologies like healthcare robotics are harnessed optimally for society (Mesko, 2016).