Insider Brief
- Able Innovations has partnered with Lahey Hospital & Medical Center to deploy the ALTA Platform robotic patient-transfer system, marking the first U.S. hospital implementation of the technology.
- The system automates lateral patient transfers between beds, imaging tables, stretchers and operating room tables, enabling a single staff member to perform tasks that typically require multiple caregivers while reducing injury risk for frontline healthcare workers.
- Hospital leaders said the initiative will test new workflows that shift physically demanding transfer tasks to the robotic platform, aiming to improve staff safety, operational efficiency and patient experience within acute-care environments.
Able Innovations said it has partnered with a Massachusetts hospital to introduce its robotic patient-transfer system to the U.S., marking the first deployment of the company’s ALTA Platform in an American hospital.
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, is using the system to automate lateral patient transfers between beds, imaging tables, operating room tables and stretchers, according to Able Innovations. The platform is designed to allow a single staff member to perform transfers that typically require multiple caregivers.
“We are extremely proud to deploy our first-of-its-kind ALTA Platform® at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and collaborate to develop new models of care,” CEO Jayiesh Singh said in the announcement. “As leaders in adoption of health care innovation, Lahey and its leadership team have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving patient care, staff well-being and sustainability through the application of cutting-edge technology.”
The ALTA Platform was initially launched in Canada. According to Able Innovations, the system uses robotics to assist with the physical movement of patients within acute-care environments, aiming to reduce caregiver injuries and improve workflow efficiency while maintaining patient comfort during transfers.
Hospital administrators said the system addresses one of the most physically demanding tasks in hospital operations. Lateral patient transfers are a frequent source of musculoskeletal injuries among nursing and transport staff, contributing to workforce strain and staffing challenges across healthcare systems.
The organizations said the deployment will also test new clinical workflows that shift the physical task of patient transfers to the robotic system, allowing staff to focus more on clinical responsibilities and patient interaction.
“This collaboration exemplifies Lahey Hospital & Medical Center’s commitment to identifying unmet clinical needs and accelerating the adoption of high-impact technologies,” noted Susan Moffatt-Bruce, MD, PhD, president of LHMC. “By aligning patient care, workforce well-being and sustainable health care, the initiative advances human-centered innovation with measurable impact.”
Lahey’s Innovation Hub is supporting the implementation as part of its broader effort to evaluate emerging technologies that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. The hospital also cited potential environmental benefits, noting that traditional transfer methods often rely on disposable friction-reduction devices that generate medical waste.
