Innovation in Healthcare with the Cobi 18 at Stichting Mijzo
Stichting Mijzo, a healthcare organization that supports the elderly, faces the challenge of working more efficiently in a sector increasingly under pressure due to an aging population and staff shortages. To address these challenges, Mijzo has integrated the innovative Cobi 18 from ICE Cobotics into their cleaning team. This autonomous scrubber-dryer contributes to both process optimization and reducing the workload.
Challenge
The healthcare sector is struggling with a growing workload. At Mijzo, this is felt on several fronts:
- Staff shortages make it a challenge to achieve a balanced distribution of all tasks.
- Routine tasks, such as cleaning, take up valuable time that could also be spent on care.
“We are dealing with a large increase in the elderly population, and there are insufficient people to continue providing care in the current way.”
Mijzo’s mission, as expressed in their social mandate, focuses on organizing processes more efficiently so that employees can focus more on personal care and well-being.
Solution
During a visit to the Zorg & ICT trade fair, Julia Verhouden, Operational Care Innovator at Mijzo, along with her colleagues, was introduced to the Cobi 18.
“We saw Cobi driving around and thought: we want to know more about that.”
That moment led to a demonstration and testing phase in which Cobi’s capabilities were evaluated. Based on this positive experience, Cobi is now used structurally at Stichting Mijzo’s location in Oosterhout.
Julia explains:
“Now we use Cobi more frequently and in a structured way, which gives us insight into how often a specific part of the building needs to be cleaned.”
The Cobi 18 is an autonomous scrubber-dryer equipped with smart sensors and AI. This allows the machine to clean floors efficiently and independently, even in hard-to-reach places.
Results
The implementation of Cobi 18 has already yielded clear benefits:
- Efficiency improvement: Cobi is expected to save over 80 hours of cleaning time per month.
- Flexibility: Cobi works 24 hours a day, meaning floors can be cleaned more frequently.
- Higher quality of care: The time saved by housekeeping staff is utilized in the care process, for example, in the living rooms or for other care tasks.
Julia emphasizes:
“We see Cobi more as a technical colleague than as a device. It supports our housekeeping staff by taking over repetitive tasks, so they have more time for residents.”
Implementation and lessons learned
The implementation of Cobi was not without its challenges. In particular, getting used to an autonomous machine in the work environment required adjustment. Through good communication and cooperation, these barriers were removed. Julia explains: “With good coordination, by communicating with each other and looking at why we are doing it, you can achieve a great deal!”
Conclusion
The Cobi 18 is a successful addition to Stichting Mijzo’s cleaning team. The time saved makes it possible to focus more on personal care, which is in line with Stichting Mijzo’s social mission. Furthermore, this case shows how technological innovations in the healthcare sector not only improve operational efficiency but also contribute to the overall quality of care.
Stichting Mijzo proves that innovations such as the Cobi 18 not only provide practical solutions but are also a step forward in solving broader social challenges.
Watch the video and interview with Julia Verhouden and Willy Klijs here:
If you would like more information, book a 15-minute call with one of our employees or request a demonstration! Fill in the form below or call our Client Care team: 023-2041020 ICE Benelux BV
