Healthcare reimagined: Carebots from hospital to home

Abstract

Objectives

To explore how healthcare robots (carebots) are transforming care delivery across the continuum, from hospital to home, particularly in response to ageing populations, chronic disease burdens and healthcare workforce shortages.

Study design

A brief narrative grounded in the authors’ observations, professional experiences and selected literature.

Methods

This short communication draws on real-world insights and current trends to explore how carebots are used in hospitals and communities. It highlights their roles in nursing, rehabilitation, mobility and remote care, and examines key barriers, such as acceptance, cost, capability, safety and reliability.

Results

In hospitals, carebots improve efficiency, reduce staff workload and enhance patient outcomes. In homes and communities, they support ageing-in-place by improving mobility, offering cognitive support and enabling remote care. Although carebots have the potential to bridge the urban-rural healthcare divide, adoption remains low in resource-limited settings due to stigma, high costs, inadequate infrastructure and policy gaps.

Conclusions

To unlock the full potential of carebots in addressing global care gaps, focus should be on inclusive design, equitable investment, and supportive policies and training. Carebots can pave the way for more person-centred, tech-enabled healthcare across the entire care continuum, from hospital to home.