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Will AI replace Orderlies?

Transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. The percentage shown is a task-exposure model, not a prediction of certain job loss.

O*NET 30.3 · 31-1132.00 · modeled exposure, not guaranteed job loss
LOW TASK EXPOSURE
22%
Estimated share of representative tasks exposed to current AI capabilities.
Task automation shareⓘ
22%Automatable
Automatable22%
Augmentable43%
Hard to automate35%
Based on analysis of representative responsibilities and current AI capability maturity.
Category#
Healthcare
Clinical & Care
Modeled pay midpoint$
$77,900/yr
Directional estimate — verify locally
Time until impact⌁
6–10+ years
Earliest 2032 · widespread 2036+
Task-level replaceability ⓘ
Representative tasks ranked from highest to lowest AI exposure.
◇Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.32%
✦Clinical accountability and hands-on care27%
⚙Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.24%
✦Patient trust and complex diagnosis23%
▥Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.15%
Impact timeline ⓘ
How AI assistance may move from early support to wider adoption.
2032Next2036+
Light supportAI provides limited help with lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers..
AugmentationTools improve productivity without owning outcomes.
Human-ledCore work stays anchored in clinical accountability and hands-on care.
6–10+ yearsdirectional confidence window
HOW AI CHANGES THIS JOBtyping the logic in plain English
01>Start with the real work done by Orderlies.
02>AI can help with: Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
03>If a task is repetitive and easy to check, AI pressure goes up.
04>But a person is still needed for: Clinical accountability and hands-on care.
05>Likely result: AI mostly acts as a helper while the core job stays human-led.
06>Important: 22% is estimated task exposure—not a 22% chance of losing the job.
What AI can do
Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.LOW MATCH
Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.LOW MATCH
Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.LOW MATCH
How estimates work →
Your human moat
◆

Clinical accountability and hands-on care

HIGH MOAT

Combined with patient trust and complex diagnosis, this keeps a human in the loop.

Strength8.6
Similar-role comparison
RoleRisk
Orderlies22%
Research Scientist22%
Nuclear Technicians22%
Chemical Technicians23%
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Why this score?

✓The model evaluates 3 representative core tasks.
✓The core work depends on presence, dexterity, or accountability.
✓Occupation and task language comes from O*NET 30.3.
✓The strongest human advantage is clinical accountability and hands-on care.
Research basis

O*NET 30.3 occupation tasks plus the ILO 2025 exposure framework. Scores are directional estimates.

Read ILO research →
Data: O*NET 30.3 · Model framework: ILO 2025About O*NETShare report
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