Will orderlies be replaced by AI?
Updated
Orderlies score 10 of 100 for AI exposure. 83% of their task time still needs a person. AI speeds up the other 17%.
- 17% AI helps
- 83% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 97% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 22 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 3 and leaves 19 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Carry messages or documents between departments. Physical delivery remains, but digital messaging can replace some runs. | 30% AI helps |
| Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance. Cleaning is physical; repair documentation could be drafted by AI. | 22% AI helps |
| Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. Responding to calls is in person; AI could triage requests. | 22% AI helps |
| Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel. Physical delivery; AI could assist tracking and documentation. | 18% Needs a person |
| Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays. Physical tray assembly and issue; inventory software helps somewhat. | 15% Needs a person |
| Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment. Germicide application is hands on; AI helps only with records. | 12% Needs a person |
| Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms. Emergency response requires immediate physical presence and action. | 8% Needs a person |
| Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments. Physically moving equipment and supplies between units. | 8% Needs a person |
| Stock utility rooms, nonmedical storage rooms, or cleaning carts with supplies. Physical stocking; software could help track supply levels. | 8% Needs a person |
| Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. Physically pushing patients through hospital areas; AI only helps scheduling. | 6% Needs a person |
Show the other 12 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Collect and transport infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies. Physical handling of hazardous waste; AI only aids paperwork. | 6% Needs a person |
| Separate collected materials for disposal, recycling, or reuse, in accordance with environmental policies. Physical sorting of waste and recyclables on site. | 5% Needs a person |
| Serve or collect food trays. Physically serving and collecting trays at bedside. | 5% Needs a person |
| Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains. Physically removing and replacing linens at bedside. | 4% Needs a person |
| Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas. Manual cleaning and sanitizing of patient spaces. | 4% Needs a person |
| Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers. Physical lifting of patients needs hands on presence. | 3% Needs a person |
| Collect soiled linen or trash. Manual collection of linen and trash. | 3% Needs a person |
| Provide physical support to patients to assist them to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising. Hands on physical help with bathing, dressing, walking. | 3% Needs a person |
| Transport bodies to the morgue. Physical transport of bodies with dignity and care. | 3% Needs a person |
| Restrain patients to prevent violence or injury or to assist physicians or nurses to administer treatments. Physical restraint of patients requires trained in person staff. | 2% Needs a person |
| Turn or reposition bedridden patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores. Manual repositioning of bedridden patients. | 2% Needs a person |
| Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation. Physically positioning patients for surgery. | 2% Needs a person |
How orderlies compare
All occupations (923)
Healthcare support (19)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $38,290 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 52,440 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Transfer patients safely between beds and stretchers
- Chart each patient transport in medical record charting software
- Log equipment repairs in GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Track par levels for dressing packs in Microsoft Excel
- Track specimen handoffs in electronic medical record software
- Hold a hospital patient handling and lifting training certificate
Questions about orderlies and AI
Will AI replace orderlies?
Partly. About 1 in 10 of an orderly's working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly carrying messages between departments and answering call signals. Lifting, moving and positioning patients stay with people because each move needs a person in the room.
Which orderly tasks is AI taking over?
Messaging and paperwork lead the list. Carrying messages or documents between departments scores 30 on exposure, and digital messaging can replace some runs. Repair notes for wheelchairs and beds score 22, since AI can draft the documentation while staff still clean the equipment.
Which orderly tasks stay human?
Restraining patients, turning bedridden patients and positioning patients for surgery each score 2 on exposure, the lowest on the list. Each one needs trained hands on a body, so AI has little to contribute at the moment the task happens.
How can orderlies stay valuable as AI spreads?
Take on the hands-on transfers and keep the records that go with them. Get trained in safe lifting and transfer technique, chart every transport in medical record charting software, and log equipment faults in GE Healthcare Centricity EMR so repairs get scheduled faster.
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