Rovex and BayCare Partner to Test Hospital Transport Robots

The Rovex robotic transport system navigates a hallway at BayCare's Morton Plant Hospital. Source: Rovex

BayCare Health System and Rovex have announced a strategic partnership to explore how robotics can enhance hospital operations and patient transport workflows. A pilot program launched this month at BayCare's Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida.

"We are thrilled to partner with Rovex to help define the future of hospital robotics and bring this advanced innovation to BayCare, the healthcare industry, and our communities," said Craig Anderson, BayCare's Vice President of Innovation.

The BayCare health system comprises 16 hospitals, including a children's hospital, and hundreds of other facilities across the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. It is the largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services in West Central Florida.

BayCare Medical Group is one of the region's largest provider networks. Its ambulatory services network includes laboratories, imaging centers, surgical centers, urgent care locations, wellness centers, and one of Florida's largest home care agencies.

Rovex tackles hospital staffing challenges

Rovex emphasized that patient transport is a critical component of care delivery. "Delays in moving patients can create system-wide bottlenecks, slowing down imaging and procedures, disrupting schedules, increasing staff strain and injury risk, and leading to a less efficient experience for both patients and care teams," the company stated.

David Crabb, M.D., founder and CEO of Rovex, with the company's system at BayCare's Morton Plant Hospital. Source: Rovex

Founded in 2024 by emergency physician Dr. David Crabb, Rovex develops autonomous technology for in-hospital patient transport. The Gainesville, Florida-based startup aims to help hospitals improve patient throughput and optimize existing operational capacity. Rovex plans to provide new tools to address rising demand driven by an aging population and persistent workforce shortages.

"Healthcare has seen massive investment in digital tools and AI, but hospitals still rely on a tremendous amount of physical work behind the scenes," said Crabb, CEO of Rovex. "We believe robotics can alleviate some of that manual burden, allowing staff and providers to dedicate more time to patients."

"Hospital logistics directly impacts staff workload, patient flow, and the overall patient experience," he added. "As an emergency physician, I frequently saw providers pulled away from direct patient care by operational tasks. Our goal at Rovex is to help give that time back to patients."

BayCare launches a phased pilot program

The phased pilot at Morton Plant Hospital will run for approximately seven months, according to Crabb. It started with workflow evaluation, environmental mapping, and operational learning.

"Patient transport is not part of the current pilot phase," Crabb told The Robot Report. "That remains a long-term goal for Rovex. This phased approach allows us to build toward it in a disciplined, step-by-step manner."

Testing will begin in a controlled area of the hospital and gradually expand to busier environments, he explained.

"BayCare Health System is an ideal early partner for Rovex because it combines operational scale with a thoughtful approach to evaluating new technology," said Crabb. "They are geographically close, which is important for a hands-on pilot, and they operate within Florida's strong, innovation-focused West Central healthcare region."

"Equally important, BayCare recognizes that efficient hospital logistics directly improves patient care. We believe the partnership stems from our novel approach to supporting healthcare workers while addressing critical internal hospital processes," he added.

The robotic transport system with a hospital stretcher during the pilot at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida. Source: Rovex

Technology aims to augment, not replace, staff

BayCare and Rovex stated that the technology is designed to support—not replace—team members by reducing physical strain and operational tasks, allowing care teams to focus more on patients. Rovex is collaborating closely with hospital staff during the pilot.

"BayCare team members will interact with the robot during the pilot, as it's being developed to support hospital staff and patients. Real-world feedback is essential for evaluating workflow integration and operational value," said Crabb. "During this initial phase, Rovex personnel will serve as the primary on-site operators and will remain closely involved in system oversight."

How have healthcare network employees responded so far?

"Early feedback has been largely positive. Many initial reactions note that the robot is visually compelling and approachable," Crabb responded. "We've also heard people ask when they'll get to ride on it, which reflects curiosity and trust. The concept intuitively makes sense in a hospital setting. At this stage, we see this as encouraging early signals, while acknowledging that the real value will come from the operational lessons we learn throughout the pilot."

The Rovex pilot at Morton Plant Hospital is assessing hospital workflows and transport patterns. Source: Rovex

Rovex and BayCare anticipate valuable insights

Rovex has not needed to modify its systems specifically for BayCare, but both partners are already gaining insights from the pilot, Crabb noted.

"We did not customize the core hardware or software for BayCare's environment prior to the pilot," he said. "Our strategy is to build a system adaptable to various hospital settings, while learning the specifics of each site through mapping, workflow analysis, and phased deployment. We've completed initial mapping as part of the pilot kickoff, which is crucial for understanding routes, transport patterns, and operational opportunities within the hospital."

Through this pilot, BayCare aims to evaluate how emerging technologies like robotics can complement existing workflows, support safe operations, and improve organizational resilience.

"The most compelling aspect of this pilot is the opportunity for close evaluation and learning," said Dr. Chris Bucciarelli, BayCare's Vice President of Ambulatory Services and Chief Medical Officer.

"By carefully studying how robotics may support patient transport in a real hospital setting, we can generate insights with implications far beyond a single facility," he explained. "These learnings could inform how health systems everywhere design care environments that better support both patients and the people who care for them."

The Rovex robot is not transporting patients during the pilot at BayCare's facility. Source: Rovex