Fixing the Hidden Bottleneck in Healthcare

Why do hospitals invest millions in clinical innovation—yet still struggle to move patients down the hall? In this episode of Med Tech Gurus, we sit down with Dr. David Crabb, emergency physician and CEO of Rovex, to explore one of healthcare's most overlooked operational challenges: patient transport. Drawing on his dual experience in frontline emergency medicine and clinical informatics, Dr. Crabb shares how delays in moving patients between departments can quietly impact throughput, staff workload, and ultimately patient outcomes. At Rovex, Dr. Crabb is leading the development of an autonomous mobile robot designed to attach to standard hospital stretchers—safely transporting patients while reducing delays, minimizing staff injuries, and helping clinicians work at the top of their license. We discuss how physical AI and robotics are moving beyond the digital world to address real-world inefficiencies inside hospitals. From building trust in AI-driven systems to navigating adoption challenges in complex care environments, this episode explores what it takes to introduce an entirely new category of medical technology—and why solving logistical problems may be the key to unlocking better care delivery.