Robot-assisted medication management in home care and long-term care settings: a mixed-Method systematic review

Medication errors and non-adherence among older adults in home and long-term care settings are significant concerns driven by factors such as polypharmacy, cognitive decline, and caregiver burden. Emerging technologies, such as medication management robots (MMRs), present promising solutions but necessitate rigorous, systematic evaluation. This review synthesizes the experiences of patients and caregivers, assesses the effectiveness of MMR in enhancing medication safety and minimizing errors, and offers insights into its broader implications for elderly home care. A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed across six databases – PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and ProQuest – without publication date limits. Studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and findings were synthesized through a convergent approach. Six studies (3 qualitative, 2 quantitative, 1 mixed-methods) from Sweden, Finland, and the U.S.A. were included. MMRs improved adherence, reduced medication errors, enhanced coordination among healthcare providers, and supported patient autonomy. Key challenges involved technical issues, such as incompatibility with liquid medications, concerns about privacy, and reluctance from users due to diminished human contact. MMRs show promise in elderly care, but successful adoption depends on structured training, ethical safeguards, and user-centered design. Further research is required to validate their long-term impact and optimize implementation strategies. The protocol for this review was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42024611310): https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024611310. This review looked at how medication management robot (MMR) systems can help older adults manage their medications at home and in long-term care. It helped understand how patients and caregivers experience these robots, how well they work in improving medication safety, and what their broader effects are on elderly care. We reviewed studies from several databases and included six studies. These studies showed that MMR systems can help make medication management safer by automatically dispensing the correct doses and reducing the workload for caregivers. They also allow older adults to manage their own medications more independently. However, to work well, proper training is necessary, and concerns such as technical, ethical, privacy, and accessibility need to be addressed. While MMR shows promise, more research is needed to develop systems that fit the needs of older adults.