COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF MOBILE ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS AND THEIR POTENTIAL APPLICATION AREAS IN OPERATING THEATRES

• Annika Engel ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | 2 Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1178-3049
• Fabian Dietrich ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3155-802X
• Thorge Lackner ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8394-2549
• Imke De Kock Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4136-7418
• Daniel Palm ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | 3 Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, Reutlingen, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1485-8078

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7166/34-4-2880

Keywords:

Mobile assistance system, robotics, supportive tasks, operating theatre

Abstract

Mobile assistance systems (MAS) promise to overcome personnel shortages in operating theatres worldwide. A literature review inspired by the PRISMA 2020 method determines the state of the art of MAS, and identifies a lack of application areas for MAS in the operating theatre. Interviews with subject-matter experts aim to investigate application areas for MAS. The results show that most operational tasks refer to material management and patient management. MAS, with their potential to reduce the time needed for material and patient management, and the physical and mental strain of patient management, have great potential in the operating theatre.