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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how mobile robots are addressing a variety of hospital logistic needs.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper includes in‐depth interviews with developers of the Aethon hospital mobile robot logistics system.
Findings
Robotics can greatly improve hospital logistic services such as moving food, lab samples, prescriptions and even add a bit of entertainment in the process.
Practical implications
Hospital administrators have new answers to the old challenges of moving items in a timely and cost‐effective manner around their facility.
Originality/value
Hospitals are first implementers of mobile robotics to look for answers to their logistic problems. They do not have to break new ground for themselves.
Keywords:
United States of America,
Hospitals,
Delivery,
Distribution management,
Mobile,
Robots,
Logistics
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2011
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