31 the overall effectiveness of treatment are all aspects which can have a deleterious effect on healthcare generally . Making improvements to patient care is obviously the name of the game , yet the benefits to robotic-optimised surgery go beyond the operating theatre and ultimately impact the entire hospital : “ From my own practice , I ’ ve seen that robot-assisted surgery typically halves the length of hospital stays , reduces bleeding and blood transfusions , shrinks the risk of infection , lessens the requirement for painkillers and ultimately improves the standard of care for our patients ,” Assenmacher states . Furthermore , of particular relevance during incidences of highly infectious disease such as COVID-19 , robots can be deployed to perform essential tasks that would otherwise place people at risk , such as disinfecting rooms and dispensing medication . Assenmacher intimates that these capabilities could simply be the tip of the automation iceberg : “ We certainly expect to see an evolution of nanorobots in the bloodstream , digital pills and social companion robots .” healthcareglobal . com