BayCare Pilot Program Explores In-Hospital Transport Robots

CLEARWATER, FL — A new pilot program at a Clearwater hospital is exploring the use of robots to move patients throughout the facility.

BayCare Health System and Florida-based robotics startup Rovex have launched a strategic partnership to test how robotics could support hospital operations and patient transport through a pilot program that began this month at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, according to a news release.

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During its launch, the pilot focuses on evaluating hospital workflows, transport patterns, and operational opportunities.

Later phases are designed to support potential in-hospital robotic stretcher movement, but BayCare said the robot won't transport patients during the current pilot, though later phases will be considered.

“We are excited to join forces with Rovex to shape the future of hospital robotics and introduce this cutting‑edge innovation to BayCare, the health care industry and the communities we serve,” Craig Anderson, BayCare’s vice president of innovation, said.

The technology is designed to support, not replace, team members by reducing physical strain and operational burden, and helping care teams focus more fully on patients, BayCare said.

This pilot will allow the health system to evaluate how robotics can complement existing workflows, support safe operations and strengthen the workforce, the hospital added.

“What’s most compelling about this pilot is the chance to closely evaluate and learn,” Dr. Chris Bucciarelli, BayCare’s vice president of ambulatory services and chief medical officer, said. “By carefully studying how robotics may support patient transport in a real hospital environment, we can generate insights that extend well beyond one facility. Those learnings have the potential to inform how health systems everywhere think about designing care environments that better support both patients and the people who care for them.”

David Crabb, Rovex founder and chief executive officer, said hospital logistics can affect staff workload, patient flow and the patient experience.

“Hospital logistics has downstream effects on staff workload, patient flow and the patient experience. As an emergency physician, I saw firsthand how often providers are pulled away from direct patient care by operational tasks, and our goal at Rovex is to help return more of that time to patients,” he said, adding. “Health care has seen enormous investment in digital tools and AI, but hospitals still depend on a huge amount of physical work behind the scenes. We believe robotics can help offload some of that manual burden so staff and providers can spend more time focused on patients.”

Patient transport is an essential part of care delivery, and delays in patient movement can affect imaging and procedural workflows, disrupt schedules, and increase strain and injury risk for staff, BayCare said.