2025 Predictions in Endoluminal Robotics: Meeting Providers Where They Are
As we look ahead to 2025, one of the more transformative trends in healthcare will be the integration of cutting-edge technology, particularly medical robotics, into distributed and decentralized medical settings. As part of a search for increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and better patient outcomes, the healthcare landscape is shifting away from traditional hospital-based procedures toward more specialized, efficient centers of care—think distributed centers of excellence, outpatient surgery centers, and smaller community clinics.
Expanding Access with Distributed Centers of Excellence
The rise of distributed Centers of Excellence (CoEs) will help usher in a new era of specialized care. Traditionally, CoEs were concentrated in large academic medical centers, requiring patients to travel significant distances for specialized treatments. However, as healthcare systems begin to prioritize accessibility and efficiency, we're seeing the growth of smaller, regional CoEs that bring advanced care closer to patients.
Surgical platforms designed for these distributed centers will play an important role in this decentralization. More compact and versatile systems will enable providers to perform highly specialized surgeries within smaller facilities. These systems will not wholly replicate the capabilities of larger, more complex hospital settings but rather deliver the same outcomes through an emphasis on precision and efficiency. Procedures like bronchoscopy and those in areas like orthopedics, gynecology, and gastrointestinal care–where robotic-assisted surgeries are becoming the standard for minimally invasive procedures–will be the proving grounds for this trend.
Empowering Smaller Surgical Centers
More broadly, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) optimized for outpatient procedures have been proliferating to offer high-quality surgical care to more patients at lower costs. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, ASCs save the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars annually by reducing hospital stays and leveraging more efficient, streamlined processes.
Medical robotics technology will play an important role supporting ASCs too. New robotic systems that fit into smaller operating rooms require less setup time and fewer resources. This makes it feasible for ASCs to adopt advanced surgical techniques that were previously confined to large hospitals. The benefits? Reduced patient recovery times, lower infection rates, and cost savings for providers and patients alike.
The Future of Robotics in Outpatient Care
The use of robotics in outpatient settings will continue to expand as a wider variety of providers seek to offer cutting-edge surgical interventions. Today, we’re seeing the latest generation of endoluminal robots adapt to this need by being smaller, more user-friendly, mobile, and adaptable. For example, Noah Medical’s Galaxy System has a much smaller footprint, relies on disposable scopes to reduce infection risk, and features integrated imaging so more physicians can take advantage of its precision guidance capabilities.
As technology evolves, we can expect to see more compact, mobile robotic systems that can be easily transported between facilities, making it possible for even the smallest clinics to offer advanced surgical procedures. We’ll also likely see more AI and machine learning integration, enabling predictive analytics that will help surgeons plan procedures, identify potential complications, and optimize for surgical outcomes.
By meeting providers where they are—whether that's a distributed center of excellence or a rural ASC—surgical robotics will continue to play a vital role in transforming the way healthcare is delivered. This evolution not only improves access to care but also drives down costs, ultimately benefiting patients and healthcare systems alike.
Stay tuned for the next blog in our series, where we’ll explore the rise of endoluminal robotics and its transformative impact on medicine.