I recently became aware of a fascinating robotics program implemented by the Mayo Clinic. I learned of the program from a reporter who contacted me and asked for my opinion on the topic of robots in hospitals. She casually mentioned that the Mayo Clinic is using robots to support their nurses. When I asked who was providing the robots she replied, “Curabotics.” I researched the company and downloaded the case study I’ve attached.
Curabotics is the AI nurse-first hospital automation platform. Their robots integrate with elevators, building systems, and clinical workflows. Curabotics is led by Kate McAfoose, P.E.
I’ve researched several hospital robotics programs launched over the last few years, but I didn’t write about them because they failed. Everyone in hospital robotics likes to talk about the technology, but they ignore the lack of adoption. The people who are supposed to work with and use the robots don’t like them and the project dies a slow death.
That is apparently until now.
Curabotics just finished a two-year pilot at the Mayo Clinic. 96% of the nurses adopted and approved of their co-bots within four months. Nurses are the most skeptical, most time-pressed, most burned-out workforce in America. When 96% of them vote yes with their daily behavior, that proves the product is a perfect fit for a market.
According to the results:
✅ 11,200 nurse hours returned to patient care
✅ 15% of the average nurse’s daily workload lifted
✅ Break-even in 19 months
✅ A 40% increase in nurse morale and job satisfaction
With nurse replacement costs exceeding $53,000 and large hospitals losing $21M–$43M a year to turnover, I believe Curabotics isn’t just selling robots, they’re providing a solution for hospitals to attract and retain nurses.
Curabotics proved their autonomous delivery works inside a complex, multi-floor, elevator-integrated building, and the bots were embraced by a skilled workforce that had every reason to reject them.
I believe Curabotics robots are ideal for other industries:
✅ Senior living & skilled nursing with similar needs but a worse labor crisis
✅ Hospitality…lots of room delivery, linen runs, and restocking in an industry with high turnover
✅ Life sciences campuses with lots of products and samples moving between labs
✅ Airports, casinos & cruise lines with dense 24/7 delivery demand across sprawling facilities with punishing labor economics
✅ Retail
✅ Education
Curabotics has proved that it can excel in the most respected and demanding hospital system in the world. I’m confident the company will excel across multiple industries.
What’s next? I believe Curabotics will create a cart with media capability whereby a remote doctor (or possibly an AI doctor) will interact with nurses and patients.
#Robotics #AI #Hospitality #retail #hospitals #health #nursing