WGU D372: Systems Thinking Task 3 Case
Study on AHN Robot Implementation 2026
update with complete solution
STEP 1 — ICEBERG TOOL
A. What are the key events in this case study?
The key events are that healthcare and hospital-stay costs are increasing, creating financial
pressure for Allcome Health Network and James Memorial Hospital. In response, the hospital
introduces robots to perform selected non-patient-facing activities such as cleaning rooms,
washing dishes, preparing food, and delivering supplies.
The robotic implementation successfully reduces certain labor-related expenses and performs
the assigned tasks. However, some existing and potential patients become concerned that
increased use of robots means the hospital is replacing human care with technology. This
negative perception contributes to decreased patient acceptance and a potential reduction in
the number of patients choosing James Memorial Hospital. Docsity
Key events summarized
1. Healthcare costs continue to increase.
2. The hospital seeks ways to control operating expenses.
3. Robots are introduced for selected non-patient-facing activities.
4. Robot implementation produces operational and cost benefits.
5. Patients become concerned about the effect of robots on healthcare quality.
6. Patient acceptance decreases.
7. Reduced patient acceptance can contribute to fewer patients choosing the hospital.
8. The hospital therefore faces a conflict between cost reduction and patient acceptance.
B. What patterns do you notice in the key events?
A recurring pattern is that rising healthcare costs create pressure to reduce expenses, which
encourages the hospital to implement technological solutions such as robots.
,Although the technology addresses part of the financial problem, it creates an unintended
consequence: some patients interpret the robots as evidence that the hospital is reducing
human involvement in healthcare. This can reduce patient confidence and acceptance.
Therefore, the hospital experiences a tension between:
Cost reduction → greater use of robots → patient concern → lower acceptance → fewer
patients
At the same time, successful demonstration of the robots' capabilities and transparent
communication could reverse the negative perception:
Education/transparency → greater understanding → greater acceptance → stronger patient
confidence
The case therefore demonstrates why solving one part of a complex system can produce
consequences elsewhere in the same system. Similar versions of the case identify rising
healthcare costs, robot implementation, patient perception, and patient numbers as the major
interacting variables. Docsity
C. What structures explain the patterns of events?
Several structural elements explain the observed patterns:
• Increasing healthcare operating costs
• Pressure on hospital leadership to control expenses
• Availability of robotic technology
• Hospital investment in robots for non-patient-facing work
• Patient expectations regarding human interaction
• Patient perceptions about technology and healthcare quality
• Communication between hospital leadership, employees, patients, and the community
• Patient choice and hospital utilization
• The relationship between patient volume and hospital financial sustainability
The underlying structure creates a feedback relationship. Cost pressure encourages
technological adoption, while technological adoption can influence patient perceptions. Patient
perceptions then influence patient acceptance and potentially patient volume.
, The important systems-thinking insight is that the robots themselves are not necessarily the
fundamental problem. The larger issue is the interaction between cost pressures, technology
adoption, communication, patient expectations, and trust.
STEP 2 — BEHAVIOR OVER TIME DIAGRAM
The Behavior Over Time analysis should show how important variables are expected to change
as the system develops.
Variables to include
1. Healthcare Costs
Expected trend: Increasing over time.
Healthcare costs are the original pressure motivating the hospital to search for cost-control
strategies.
Trend:
Increasing ↑
2. Number of Robots
Expected trend: Increasing after the hospital adopts the robotic strategy.
As leadership attempts to reduce labor-related expenses and improve efficiency, the number or
scope of robotic applications may increase.
Trend:
Increasing ↑
3. Patient Acceptance
Expected trend: Initially decreases after the robot implementation becomes visible, followed by
gradual improvement if education and transparency are effective.
Initially:
Patient acceptance ↓
After effective communication:
Study on AHN Robot Implementation 2026
update with complete solution
STEP 1 — ICEBERG TOOL
A. What are the key events in this case study?
The key events are that healthcare and hospital-stay costs are increasing, creating financial
pressure for Allcome Health Network and James Memorial Hospital. In response, the hospital
introduces robots to perform selected non-patient-facing activities such as cleaning rooms,
washing dishes, preparing food, and delivering supplies.
The robotic implementation successfully reduces certain labor-related expenses and performs
the assigned tasks. However, some existing and potential patients become concerned that
increased use of robots means the hospital is replacing human care with technology. This
negative perception contributes to decreased patient acceptance and a potential reduction in
the number of patients choosing James Memorial Hospital. Docsity
Key events summarized
1. Healthcare costs continue to increase.
2. The hospital seeks ways to control operating expenses.
3. Robots are introduced for selected non-patient-facing activities.
4. Robot implementation produces operational and cost benefits.
5. Patients become concerned about the effect of robots on healthcare quality.
6. Patient acceptance decreases.
7. Reduced patient acceptance can contribute to fewer patients choosing the hospital.
8. The hospital therefore faces a conflict between cost reduction and patient acceptance.
B. What patterns do you notice in the key events?
A recurring pattern is that rising healthcare costs create pressure to reduce expenses, which
encourages the hospital to implement technological solutions such as robots.
,Although the technology addresses part of the financial problem, it creates an unintended
consequence: some patients interpret the robots as evidence that the hospital is reducing
human involvement in healthcare. This can reduce patient confidence and acceptance.
Therefore, the hospital experiences a tension between:
Cost reduction → greater use of robots → patient concern → lower acceptance → fewer
patients
At the same time, successful demonstration of the robots' capabilities and transparent
communication could reverse the negative perception:
Education/transparency → greater understanding → greater acceptance → stronger patient
confidence
The case therefore demonstrates why solving one part of a complex system can produce
consequences elsewhere in the same system. Similar versions of the case identify rising
healthcare costs, robot implementation, patient perception, and patient numbers as the major
interacting variables. Docsity
C. What structures explain the patterns of events?
Several structural elements explain the observed patterns:
• Increasing healthcare operating costs
• Pressure on hospital leadership to control expenses
• Availability of robotic technology
• Hospital investment in robots for non-patient-facing work
• Patient expectations regarding human interaction
• Patient perceptions about technology and healthcare quality
• Communication between hospital leadership, employees, patients, and the community
• Patient choice and hospital utilization
• The relationship between patient volume and hospital financial sustainability
The underlying structure creates a feedback relationship. Cost pressure encourages
technological adoption, while technological adoption can influence patient perceptions. Patient
perceptions then influence patient acceptance and potentially patient volume.
, The important systems-thinking insight is that the robots themselves are not necessarily the
fundamental problem. The larger issue is the interaction between cost pressures, technology
adoption, communication, patient expectations, and trust.
STEP 2 — BEHAVIOR OVER TIME DIAGRAM
The Behavior Over Time analysis should show how important variables are expected to change
as the system develops.
Variables to include
1. Healthcare Costs
Expected trend: Increasing over time.
Healthcare costs are the original pressure motivating the hospital to search for cost-control
strategies.
Trend:
Increasing ↑
2. Number of Robots
Expected trend: Increasing after the hospital adopts the robotic strategy.
As leadership attempts to reduce labor-related expenses and improve efficiency, the number or
scope of robotic applications may increase.
Trend:
Increasing ↑
3. Patient Acceptance
Expected trend: Initially decreases after the robot implementation becomes visible, followed by
gradual improvement if education and transparency are effective.
Initially:
Patient acceptance ↓
After effective communication:
