Service robots in nursing homes: costs and operational relief

In inpatient care, the economic viability of robotics is often incorrectly defined by the list price of the hardware. For an operator, however, the net relief per shift is the key figure. werob has identified validated data for cost reduction by analyzing over 35,000 projects. An automated medication round leads to an annual relief of €92,000 per location. Transport tasks, such as transporting laundry or food, reduce operational costs by a further €71,000 per year.

These figures are based on the release of specialist hours that were previously spent on logistical support activities. For a care group with, for example, four locations and five robots each, the annual relief adds up to around 1.8 million euros. werob's commercial model is consistently focused on results. As a system integrator, werob offers an outcome-only model. This means for you as the operator: There are no costs until the robot is productively integrated into your workflow and running. This model eliminates the investment risk associated with traditional purchase or leasing models from individual OEM resellers.

A common mistake when introducing robotics in nursing homes is the premature focus on a specific robot model. werob is not a manufacturer, but a system integrator that evaluates the entire market neutrally. There are over 44 OEM partners in the werob catalog, including well-known manufacturers such as Keenon, Pudu, Bear Robotics or humanoid developers such as Apptronik and 1X. A total of 280 different robot models are qualified for the ranking.

The crucial process is the supplier match. Instead of being tied to a single manufacturer (vendor lock-in), werob uses the Spec Engine. Within 48 hours, this engine translates your individual shift, floor and task requirements into a technical specification. Only then will the 44+ OEMs be ranked against this specification. This ensures that the selected hardware fits exactly to the structural conditions and nursing requirements of your facility. The objective data from the Spec Engine decides whether a Keenon T9 is used for transport or a humanoid robot for more complex interactions.

A robot that acts as an isolated standalone solution will, in case of doubt, cause more work than it removes. The real added value comes from the seamless integration into the existing IT infrastructure of the care facility. werob supplies prefabricated connectors into the operator stack for this purpose. This includes direct interfaces to systems such as PointClickCare and MatrixCare. This integration allows the robot to receive information about ward occupancy or specific delivery requirements directly from nursing documentation.

Without these connectors, nurses would have to program the robot manually or enter data twice. The werob platform acts as an operating layer that stands between the hardware and your software. You maintain control of the entire fleet at all times via the live cockpit. A four-dimensional traffic light system not only monitors the status of the hardware and infrastructure, but also compliance with regulatory requirements and the defined application specifications. This guarantees availability, which is absolutely necessary for 24/7 operation in care.

An often underestimated cost factor when introducing service robots is legal protection. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will be binding. Many robots that are currently entering the market from Asian manufacturers do not yet have the necessary conformity assessments for the European market. werob acts as your compliance path here. We ensure that all systems used meet the strict requirements of the regulation and ISO 13482 for personal care robots.

In addition, in Germany the requirements of home supervision and the GDPR must be met, especially if camera systems are used for navigation. werob takes over the regulatory review and documentation as part of the onboarding process. This protects you as the operator from liability risks and unforeseen costs due to retrofitting or operating bans. Compliance with these standards is firmly anchored in the werob cockpit, so that you can provide complete proof of the conformity of your robot fleet at any time during audits.

While traditional consulting firms often require three to six months for discovery phases, werob follows an accelerated implementation path. The promise is: 48 hours until the finished specification, five days until the binding offer and eight weeks until the first robot in live use. This process begins with a structured intake, in which the shift processes and the infrastructure of the facility are recorded.

After the supplier match and the selection of the hardware, the connectors are configured. Since werob uses ready-made integrations, time-consuming individual programming is no longer necessary. The rollout is controlled centrally via the cockpit, which enables rapid scaling across multiple locations. Since the model is outcome-only, the focus is on operational excellence throughout the eight weeks. The goal is not to deliver a machine, but rather to successfully take on a defined task in everyday care.