Service Robots as Work Support for Health Personnel in Long-Term Care: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• Effect Size: Not applicable — scoping review protocol; no pooled effect size planned or available

• Primary Outcome: Protocol paper — no primary outcome results available. Planned primary mapping target: implementation characteristics and reported outcomes of service robots as work support for health care personnel in institutional long-term care

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not applicable — scoping review design; preliminary screening yield: 64/4,884 records (1.3%) progressed to full-text eligibility assessment

• Confidence Interval: Not applicable — no meta-analytic synthesis planned

Clinical Application

The scoping review methodology is feasible and well-resourced (4-year funded project). Clinical application of eventual findings will depend on the quality and consistency of the underlying primary studies identified. The low initial retrieval rate (1.3%) suggests the evidence base may be limited, potentially constraining the strength of implementation guidance that can be derived. Highly relevant to the Australian aged care sector, which is undergoing significant reform following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2021). Australia faces acute aged care workforce shortages, with the AIHW reporting ongoing staffing pressures in residential aged care. The Aged Care Act 2024 and associated quality standards create a regulatory environment receptive to evidence-based technology integration. The Australian Government's investment in aged care technology (including robotics) through the Digital Health Strategy and aged care reform packages makes this evidence mapping timely. TGA classification of service robots (as opposed to medical devices) remains an evolving regulatory area. RACGP and the Australian College of Nursing have not yet issued specific guidelines on service robot integration in LTC. PBS considerations are not directly applicable to service robot procurement, which falls under facility capital expenditure and NDIS/aged care funding streams. Findings from this review could inform the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's technology guidance and support evidence-based procurement decisions by residential aged care providers. Health care personnel (nurses, care workers, allied health) working in institutional long-term care facilities caring for residents aged 65 years and older; relevant to facility managers, policy makers, and technology procurement decision-makers in aged care

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Demographic shifts are increasing the global demand for long-term care services, coinciding with a worldwide shortage of health care personnel. Service robots, designed to perform tasks in both professional and personal use, are perceived as a potential solution to alleviate health care personnel's workload and enhance the quality of care. However, the existing literature is fragmented and heterogeneous, with a limited emphasis on the role of service robots in supporting residents rather than health care personnel. Furthermore, there is a lack of consistent definitions of service robotic technologies and a scarcity of studies on implementation models and frameworks. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to map and synthesize evidence regarding the implementation of service robots as work support for health care personnel in long-term care settings. METHODS: A comprehensive 3-step search will be conducted in Embase, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, CENTRAL, Scopus, and CINAHL, along with gray literature databases and institutional repositories. Eligible sources encompass empirical studies and gray literature involving service robots, health care personnel, residents aged 65 years or older, and stakeholders such as informal caregivers within institutional long-term care. Exclusions apply to studies on home care, medical or industrial robots, and nonrobotic technologies. Data will be extracted and analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, with findings presented in tables, diagrams, and narrative summaries to identify gaps and inform future research and implementation strategies. RESULTS: The project has been funded for a 4-year period starting in April 2025. This protocol was developed in October 2025 and subsequently registered in November 2025. A comprehensive search strategy was formulated and completely conducted on October 24, 2025. The screening of 4884 titles and abstracts was completed in December 2025, resulting in the retrieval of 64 (1.3%) full-text articles for eligibility assessment. Subsequent phases, including data extraction, analysis, evidence synthesis, and presentation of results, will be conducted sequentially. The scoping review is expected to be finalized by June 2026. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review is expected to delineate the extent and characteristics of the existing evidence on service robots as work support for health personnel in long-term care settings. It will highlight the key reported outcomes and challenges encountered in implementation studies, as well as the theoretical frameworks, models, and concepts applied to address these issues. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework QWK58; https://osf.io/qwk58/. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/89435.

References

1. 1.Losada-Floriano, D., Thygesen, E., Sanfilippo, F., Hansen, M. R., & Fossum, M. (2026). Service robots as work support for health personnel in long-term care: Protocol for a scoping review. JMIR Research Protocols. https://doi.org/10.2196/89435