Northwestern tests autonomous blood draw robot

Editor's Note

Northwestern Medicine has partnered with robotic technology firm Vitestro to test and validate the safety and effectiveness of autonomous blood draw technology, according to a March 20 announcement from the health system. The multi-year collaboration centers on Aletta, billed as the world’s first Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device (ARPD), which is designed to automate venous blood collection and improve the speed, accuracy, and consistency of diagnostic testing.

As part of the agreement, Northwestern Medicine will participate in a multicenter clinical trial evaluating the device, the outlet reports. The goal is to generate robust clinical data to support broader adoption of automated phlebotomy across US hospitals and outpatient settings. According to the announcement, Northwestern leaders view the collaboration as a way to address persistent phlebotomy staffing shortages while improving operational efficiency and the patient experience.

Among other capabilities, the technology is expected to:

• Alleviate critical workforce shortages by automating a traditionally manual process
• Improve sample quality and integrity by reducing human error in venipuncture
• Increase throughput in high-volume outpatient diagnostic settings
• Standardize blood collection to enhance patient comfort and reduce variability in care.

“Phlebotomy remains one of the last manual processes in laboratory medicine,” Gregory Retzinger, MD, PhD, medical director of Pathology Clinical Services at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said in the announcement. “Automation presents a pivotal opportunity to transform it.”