May 18, 2023

MultiCare welcomes Moxi the robot at Puget Sound-area hospitals

TACOMA, Wash. — MultiCare Health System introduced four Moxi robot assistants today to support its nursing teams at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

Health care systems across the country are facing significant staffing challenges, and MultiCare is not immune. To address these challenges, MultiCare is exploring innovative ways to utilize resources more effectively and ensure that nurses and other clinical staff are doing the highest-value work they were trained to do — care for patients.

“Nurses and other clinicians spend a significant part of their day gathering and delivering supplies,” said June Altaras, MultiCare executive vice president for quality, safety and nursing. “Enabling nurses to spend more time with patients will help improve patient safety and quality outcomes. Nurses can spend more time evaluating care and providing a robust patient experience. Moxi is a tool that we can use to reimagine how we deliver health care.”

Four Moxi robots have been delivering lab specimens and getting supplies at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital in Spokane since January. They’ve already proven themselves a valuable partner. From Jan. 26 to May 15, Moxi robots spent 6,162 hours making 9,955 deliveries, saving staff 4.92 million steps or 1,695 miles.

Later this summer, Moxi will join teams at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

Moxi, created by Diligent Robotics, serves as an aid to nurses and will not have direct patient engagement or access to patient rooms. Some of its duties include delivering lab samples and running patient medications, supplies and other items for patient care. Moxi is equipped with an arm, gripper hand and mobility that enables it to navigate hospital hallways, transport lightweight medical resources, and drop them off for nurses and other staff.