20.500.12556/DKUM-96178 A randomized pilot study evaluating socially assistive robot effects on patient engagement and care quality Healthcare faces significant challenges, including workforce shortages and increasing demands. Socially assistive robots (SARs) have emerged as potential solutions to augment care, but their implementation in hospital wards remains largely unexplored. We conducted a randomized external pilot study (ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN96689284, registered 24/02/2022) evaluating SAR intervention feasibility and effects on patient engagement and perceived quality of care (co-primary outcomes) and health-related quality of life (secondary outcome) in surgical wards. Patients (N = 229) at University Medical Center Maribor were allocated to SAR intervention (standard care + SAR) or control groups (standard care only). The SAR utilized validated, story-driven conversational capabilities providing standardized patient education, support, and basic triage through predefined dialog flows. While overall effects on patient engagement and perceived care quality were limited, the intervention showed positive impact on pain management. Contextual factors moderated intervention effects, highlighting SAR potential in specific domains. No substantial negative effects were detected. High retention rates demonstrated practical feasibility of SAR implementation in surgical settings. healthcare socially assistive robots SARs zdravstvo socialno podporni roboti true false true Springer Nature in partnership with the Scripps Research Translational Institute Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik https://www.nature.com/npjdigitalmed/ © The Author(s) 2025 Članek v reviji 2025-12-08 11:51:40 2025-12-08 11:51:40 2025-12-09 03:10:38 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 13 str. Vol. 8, [article no.] 728 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 2024-10-16 2025-10-26 2025-12-02 61:004.5 259695363 10.1038/s41746-025-02117-9 2398-6352 s41746-025-02117-9.pdf s41746-025-02117-9.pdf 1 C64441E7A4C91586A3033C1A97431E18 14bb4c0a234230a4c4237c0ffaaad681431a88982dfd30a5cd77ac72509d3786 a353374e-d424-11f0-acea-00155d000105 https://dk.um.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=201206 Fakulteta za elektrotehniko, računalništvo in informatiko 0 0 0