Song Jiafeng, Sridhar Rishika Iytha, Rogers Darlene Marie, Hiddleson Cheryl, Davis Carolyn, Holden Tina Lynn, Ramsey-Haynes Shanna, Reif Lisa, Swann Julie, Jabaley Craig S, Gullatte Mary, Kamaleswaran Rishikesan
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.
J Med Internet Res. 2025 Mar 28;27:e62957. doi: 10.2196/62957.
Interest in integrating robotics within intensive care units (ICUs) has been propelled by technological advancements, workforce challenges, and heightened clinical demands, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. The integration of robotics in ICUs could potentially enhance patient care and operational efficiency amid existing challenges faced by health care professionals, including high workload and decision-making complexities.
This qualitative study aimed to explore ICU clinicians' perceptions of robotic technology and to identify the types of tasks that might benefit from robotic assistance. We focused on the degree of acceptance, perceived challenges, and potential applications for improving patient care in 5 Southeastern US hospitals between January and August 2023.
A qualitative study through semistructured interviews and questionnaires was conducted with 15 ICU clinicians (7 nurses, 6 physicians, and 2 advanced practice providers) from 5 hospitals in the Southeast United States. Directed content analysis was used to categorize and interpret participants' statements, with statistical tests used to examine any role-based differences in how they viewed robotic integration.
Among the 15 participants, 73% (11/15) were female, with an average of 6.4 (SD 6.3) years of ICU experience. We identified 78 distinct tasks potentially suitable for robotic assistance, of which 50 (64%) involved direct patient care (eg, repositioning patients and assisting with simple procedures), 19 (24%) concerned indirect patient care (eg, delivering supplies and cleaning), 6 (8%) addressed administrative tasks (eg, answering call lights), and 3 (4%) were classified as mixed direct and indirect (eg, sitting with a patient to keep them calm). Most participants supported the automation of routine, noncritical tasks (eg, responding to nurse calls and measuring glucose levels), viewing this strategy as a way to alleviate workload and enhance efficiency. Conversely, high-complexity tasks requiring nuanced clinical judgment (eg, ventilator settings) were deemed unsuitable for full automation. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in how nurses, physicians, and advanced practice providers perceived these tasks (P=.22).
Our findings indicate a significant opportunity to use robotic systems to perform noncomplex tasks in ICUs, thereby potentially improving efficiency and reducing staff burden. Clinicians largely view robots as supportive tools rather than substitutes for human expertise. However, concerns persist regarding privacy, patient safety, and the loss of human touch, particularly for tasks requiring high-level clinical decision-making. Future research should involve broader, more diverse clinician samples and investigate the long-term impact of robotic assistance on patient outcomes while also incorporating patient perspectives to ensure ethical, patient-centered adoption of robotic technology.
技术进步、劳动力挑战以及包括在新冠疫情期间的更高临床需求推动了在重症监护病房（ICU）整合机器人技术的兴趣。在医疗保健专业人员面临的现有挑战（包括高工作量和决策复杂性）中，ICU中机器人技术的整合可能会提高患者护理质量和运营效率。
这项定性研究旨在探索ICU临床医生对机器人技术的看法，并确定可能受益于机器人辅助的任务类型。我们重点关注2023年1月至8月美国东南部5家医院对机器人技术的接受程度、感知到的挑战以及改善患者护理的潜在应用。
对美国东南部5家医院的15名ICU临床医生（7名护士、6名医生和2名高级执业提供者）进行了半结构化访谈和问卷调查的定性研究。采用定向内容分析法对参与者的陈述进行分类和解释，并使用统计测试来检验他们在看待机器人整合方面基于角色的差异。
15名参与者中，73%（11/15）为女性，平均有6.4（标准差6.3）年的ICU工作经验。我们确定了78项可能适合机器人辅助的不同任务，其中50项（64%）涉及直接患者护理（如为患者重新定位和协助进行简单操作），19项（24%）涉及间接患者护理（如运送物资和清洁），6项（8%）涉及行政任务（如应答呼叫灯），3项（4%）被归类为直接和间接混合任务（如陪伴患者使其保持平静）。大多数参与者支持常规、非关键任务的自动化（如响应护士呼叫和测量血糖水平），认为这一策略是减轻工作量和提高效率的一种方式。相反，需要细致临床判断的高复杂性任务（如呼吸机设置）被认为不适合完全自动化。统计分析显示，护士、医生和高级执业提供者对这些任务的看法没有显著差异（P = 0.22）。
我们的研究结果表明，在ICU中使用机器人系统执行非复杂任务有重大机会，从而有可能提高效率并减轻工作人员负担。临床医生在很大程度上视机器人为辅助工具而非人类专业知识的替代品。然而，对于隐私、患者安全以及失去人文关怀，尤其是对于需要高水平临床决策的任务，担忧依然存在。未来的研究应纳入更广泛、更多样化的临床医生样本，并调查机器人辅助对患者结局的长期影响，同时纳入患者观点，以确保以符合伦理、以患者为中心的方式采用机器人技术。
