Will AI replace Orderlies?

What this score means

Orderlies is among the least exposed roles in Healthcare. Most of what the job involves still sits outside what current AI can do, even as the tools around it keep changing. At 11 out of 100 it scores 15 points below the Healthcare average of 26. Across the 3 sources behind this baseline, individual estimates run from 5 to 20, so the score is a weighted consensus rather than any single figure.

The number is a consensus estimate for the typical version of the role, built from published academic and industry research scored occupation by occupation. It is not a prediction about any individual. How scoring works

What this job actually involves

Exposure follows the work itself rather than the job title, so it is worth seeing what the role is made of. These are the tasks O*NET records for Orderlies, most central first, showing 12 of 22.

• 01Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
• 02Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
• 03Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
• 04Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
• 05Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
• 06Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
• 07Carry messages or documents between departments.
• 08Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.
• 09Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
• 10Collect and transport infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies.
• 11Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
• 12Collect soiled linen or trash.

Task statements from O*NET by the National Center for O*NET Development, used under CC BY 4.0. The tasks are descriptive; the exposure score above is ours.

The research behind this score

This baseline aggregates 3 research sources that scored Orderlies for AI and automation exposure. More recent, higher confidence studies carry more weight in the final number.

• 01Anthropic Economic Index 2026 - AI Task Exposure · 2026
• 02GPTs are GPTs: Labor Market Impact Potential of LLMs · 2024
• 03AI Occupational Exposure to Language Modeling · 2023

Also covers

Attendant · Cart Attendant · Clinical Support Associate · Emergency Room Orderly · Hospice Entrance Attendant · Hospital Corpsman · Hospital Orderly · Infirmary Attendant and related titles

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