Logistics robots bringing Samsung Medical Center into the future

Seung Ho Lim, project manager for Samsung Medical Center in Korea, and Meong Hi Son, Samsung’s chief medical information officer and associate professor, speak at HIMSS25 in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Photo: Jeff Lagasse/Healthcare Finance News

LAS VEGAS – Intelligent logistics robots and social robots are having a transformative impact on healthcare. Health systems across the globe are experiencing workforce shortages, and robotics holds the promise of automating certain non-critical tasks, allowing medical staff to concentrate on clinical duties.

Seung Ho Lim, project manager for Samsung Medical Center in Korea, and Meong Hi Son, Samsung’s chief medical information officer and associate professor, said at HIMSS25 here on Tuesday that modern robots have shown significant improvements in operational efficiency and patient care.

“The pursuit of innovation has led us to explore robotics,” said Meong Hi. “It’s not merely about showcasing fancy technology, but it’s driven by real operational needs, and they help staff provide their services more efficiently.”

At Samsung Medical, the mission to implement logistics robots came in phases, including planning and preparation, data collection, problem analyses and the pilot implementation.

“Key strategies to improve efficiency include establishing a regular supply based on standard quantities, automatic resupply without manual requests, the elimination of non-clinical activities and initiating deliveries during low-usage hours,” said Seung Ho.

That, he said, removes the need for nurses to fill out forms and paperwork, freeing up their time for clinical purposes. The automated resupply process eliminates the need for manual intervention, while some of the eliminated non-clinical tasks include inventory checks and supply management, which previously has been handled primarily by nurses.

Deploying the technology during low-usage hours, meanwhile, enhances both quietness and safety and optimizes the efficiency of the hospital’s logistics flow, said Seung Ho.

He said Samsung Medical is the first hospital in the world to implement that type of robotics safely.

“Implementation of this system has delivered outstanding results,” he said. The manual billing process has been removed, and the logistics robots save more than 30 minutes per day on inspection and item organization tasks for each ward. The storage space area has been reduced by 71%.

“Nurses can now give more time to direct patient care,” said Seung Ho. “The burden of supply management has been significantly reduced. Staff shortages have been eliminated. Logistics operations are now safer and more efficient thanks to automated processes.”

He said Samsuing will continue to invest in robotics technologies.

“The goal is simple: to give more time back to healthcare professionals, which they can then use to enhance patient care,” he said.

Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.