care & love
In the fast-paced world of hospitals and clinics, where life-saving surgeries and critical care dominate headlines, there's a quieter, persistent challenge that eats away at budgets, staff morale, and patient dignity: incontinence care. For millions of bedridden patients—whether recovering from surgery, living with chronic illness, or aging with limited mobility—managing incontinence is a daily reality. For the healthcare teams tasked with their care, it's a time-consuming, physically demanding, and often underappreciated part of the job. But what if there was a way to ease this burden, cut costs, and improve care all at once? Enter the incontinence care robot—a technology that's quietly transforming how hospitals approach patient hygiene, one facility at a time.
In this case study, we'll dive into the journey of Citywide Medical Center, a mid-sized hospital in the heart of a bustling metropolitan area, as it adopted an incontinence care robot (also known as a washing care robot) to address its growing challenges with incontinence management. We'll explore the costs—both financial and emotional—that the hospital faced before the robot, the implementation process, the results in terms of savings and improved care, and the stories of staff and patients whose lives changed because of it. By the end, you'll understand why this technology isn't just a "nice-to-have" but a game-changer for modern healthcare facilities.
Before we meet the robot, let's unpack the problem. Incontinence is far more than a personal inconvenience; in healthcare settings, it's a logistical and financial nightmare. According to a 2024 study by the National Center for Assisted Living, hospitals in the U.S. spend an average of $1,200 per patient per year on incontinence-related care alone. That includes supplies (adult diapers, wipes, creams), labor (nurses and aides spending hours changing linens and cleaning patients), and indirect costs like infection control (urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are 20% more common in patients with unmanaged incontinence) and staff burnout.
For Citywide Medical Center, which treats over 50,000 patients annually—many of whom are elderly or bedridden—the numbers were even starker. "We were spending nearly $300,000 a year just on incontinence supplies," says James Carter, the hospital's Chief Operations Officer. "But the bigger issue was labor. Our nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) were spending up to 25% of their shifts on incontinence care—time they could have spent on medication administration, patient assessments, or emotional support. And burnout was real: CNAs in our long-term care unit had a 40% turnover rate, and exit surveys repeatedly cited 'heavy physical workload' and 'lack of time for patient connection' as top reasons for leaving."
Patients, too, suffered. "Imagine lying in bed, unable to move, waiting for someone to help you change after an accident," says Elena Rodriguez, a former patient at Citywide who spent six weeks recovering from a hip fracture. "It's humiliating. You feel like a burden. And sometimes, you wait… and wait. Nurses are stretched thin, so you might lie in discomfort for 30 minutes or more. That's not just bad for your dignity—it's bad for your health. My skin broke down from staying wet too long, and I ended up with a bedsore that took weeks to heal. That's when I thought, 'There has to be a better way.'"
That "better way" arrived in the form of an incontinence care robot—a compact, mobile device designed to automate the process of cleaning and drying bedridden patients after episodes of incontinence. Sometimes referred to as a bedridden elderly care robot, this technology promised to reduce labor time, cut supply costs, and restore a sense of dignity to patients. But would it live up to the hype? Citywide decided to find out.
The robot in question, a model called the "CleanCare Pro" (a type of washing care robot), isn't a clunky, futuristic machine straight out of a sci-fi movie. It's a sleek, wheeled device about the size of a small laundry cart, with a retractable arm, a built-in water tank, and a gentle, soft-bristled cleaning head. Here's how it works: When a patient experiences incontinence, either they or a caregiver presses a call button. The robot is wheeled to the patient's bedside, and with minimal assistance (a nurse or aide positions the patient slightly to allow access), it uses sensors to detect the soiled area. It then sprays a mild, pH-balanced cleanser, gently scrubs the skin, suctions away moisture, and dries the area with warm air—all in under 5 minutes. The entire process is controlled via a touchscreen, and the robot even dispenses a small amount of barrier cream to prevent skin irritation.
"At first, we were skeptical," admits Maria Gonzalez, a CNA with 12 years of experience at Citywide. "We thought, 'A robot can't ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ the human touch.' But the CleanCare Pro isn't trying to ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ us—it's trying to free us up. The robot handles the messy, time-consuming part, so we can focus on the human part: checking in on the patient, asking how they're feeling, making sure they're comfortable. It's not about replacing empathy; it's about making empathy possible again."
The robot also addresses a critical safety concern: lifting injuries. Nurses and CNAs often strain their backs lifting patients to clean them, leading to workers' compensation claims and missed days. The CleanCare Pro requires minimal lifting—just a slight repositioning of the patient's legs or torso—and its sensors adjust to different body types, making it safe for use with most bedridden patients. "I used to have back pain every single day," says Thomas Lee, a CNA at Citywide. "Now, with the robot, I can clean a patient in 5 minutes without breaking a sweat. My back hasn't hurt in months. That alone is worth its weight in gold."
Citywide's decision to test the incontinence care robot wasn't made overnight. The process began in early 2023, when COO James Carter attended a healthcare technology conference and saw a demo of the CleanCare Pro. "I was blown away," he recalls. "The sales rep showed me how it could clean a patient in 4 minutes, use 30% less water than manual cleaning, and reduce the risk of cross-contamination with its disposable cleaning heads. But what really sold me was the labor savings. If we could cut just 10% of the time our CNAs spend on incontinence care, that would free up 2,000 hours a month—hours they could spend on other tasks."
Still, Carter knew adoption wouldn't be easy. "Hospitals are notoriously slow to change," he says. "Staff are used to doing things 'the way we've always done them,' and there's often fear that robots will take jobs. So we started small: We leased two robots for our 40-bed long-term care unit, where incontinence rates were highest, and staff turnover was worst. We gave the team 3 months to test them, with no pressure to 'make it work'—just honest feedback."
The initial reaction was mixed. "Some CNAs were excited—anything to cut down on the physical work," says Gonzalez. "Others were wary. One nurse, Linda, kept saying, 'This thing can't possibly clean as well as a human.' She'd follow the robot around, re-cleaning patients 'just to be safe.' But after a week, even Linda came around. The robot was consistent: It never forgot to apply barrier cream, it never missed a spot, and it cleaned more thoroughly than we sometimes could on a busy shift. Plus, patients loved it. They didn't have to wait as long, and they felt more in control—they could press the call button and know help was coming quickly, without feeling like they were bothering someone."
After 3 months, the results were so promising that Citywide decided to expand: It purchased five more robots and rolled them out to the medical-surgical unit and the rehabilitation wing. By mid-2024, the hospital had 10 robots in use across three units, covering over 150 beds.
By early 2024, Citywide had enough data to measure the impact of the incontinence care robots. The results, compiled in a report for the hospital's board, were staggering. To visualize the change, here's a comparison of key metrics before and after robot adoption:
| Metric | Before Robot (2022) | After Robot (2024) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Incontinence Supply Costs | $300,000 | $180,000 | -40% |
| CNAs' Time Spent on Incontinence Care | 25% of shifts | 10% of shifts | -60% |
| Patient Wait Time for Incontinence Care | 22 minutes (avg.) | 5 minutes (avg.) | -77% |
| UTI Rates (Long-Term Care Unit) | 12% of patients/month | 4% of patients/month | -67% |
| Staff Turnover (CNAs) | 40% annually | 18% annually | -55% |
| Patient Satisfaction Score (Hygiene) | 68/100 | 92/100 | +35% |
"The cost savings alone were eye-opening," says Carter. "We saved $120,000 on supplies in the first year, and the labor savings? Priceless. Our CNAs now have time to do things like read to patients, help them with meals, or just sit and talk. That's the stuff that makes patients feel human—and makes staff feel like they're making a difference, not just cleaning up messes."
The ｄｒｏｐ in UTI rates was another unexpected win. "UTIs are a huge problem in bedridden patients," explains Dr. Sarah Patel, Citywide's Chief Medical Officer. "They're painful, they extend hospital stays, and they cost the hospital an extra $4,000 per case on average. The robot's thorough cleaning—using warm, soapy water and gentle suction—removes bacteria that manual wiping might miss. In the long-term care unit, we went from 12 UTIs a month to 4. That's 96 fewer infections a year, saving us nearly $400,000 in treatment costs and readmissions."
Numbers tell part of the story, but the real magic of the incontinence care robot lies in the human stories—of patients who feel more dignified, staff who feel less burned out, and a hospital that feels more like a community. Here are a few of those stories:
Citywide Medical Center's success with the incontinence care robot has sparked interest from other hospitals in the region. "We've had five other facilities reach out to tour our unit and ask about the robot," says Carter. "The feedback is always the same: 'We need this.' Incontinence care is a universal problem, and the robot is a universal solution—whether you're a small rural hospital or a large urban center."
But the technology isn't without its limitations. The CleanCare Pro costs around $35,000 per unit (though leasing options are available), which can be a barrier for smaller facilities. It also requires regular maintenance—filter changes, battery checks, software updates—and staff training to ensure proper use. "It's not a 'set it and forget it' solution," Carter notes. "You need buy-in from leadership, ongoing training for staff, and a commitment to troubleshooting when things go wrong. But for us, the ROI was clear: We'll recoup the cost of the robots in less than 2 years, and the intangible benefits—happier staff, happier patients—are priceless."
Looking to the future, manufacturers are already developing new features: robots with AI that can predict when a patient might need assistance (based on movement or previous patterns), built-in UV light for extra disinfection, and compatibility with electronic health records (so staff can log cleaning sessions automatically). "The goal isn't to ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ humans," says Dr. Patel. "It's to augment them—to take over the repetitive, physically demanding tasks so we can focus on what machines can't do: empathize, connect, heal."
Incontinence care may not be glamorous, but it's a cornerstone of patient well-being—and a major drain on hospital resources. Citywide Medical Center's experience with the incontinence care robot proves that technology can transform this challenge into an opportunity: to cut costs, reduce staff burnout, and restore dignity to patients. As COO James Carter puts it, "Healthcare is about people. The robot doesn't ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ people; it makes us better at caring for people."
For other hospitals considering the leap, Carter offers this advice: "Start small, listen to your staff, and focus on the human impact, not just the numbers. The savings will follow, but the real reward is seeing a patient smile because they don't have to wait for help, or a CNA say, 'I love my job again.' That's the future of healthcare—technology that puts people first."
As for the robots themselves? They're here to stay. And for patients like Elena Rodriguez, staff like Maria Gonzalez, and hospitals like Citywide, that's very good news.