TRENDS
BY JODY DOBSON
Drone Deliveries How health systems can plan for adding drone deliveries to the supply chain’s capabilities.
“Drone technology has the potential to significantly improve the care we can
2. Re-supply and redistribution from
deliver to our patients … while seamlessly and directly connecting our facilities
external suppliers. Health systems
in a unique way.” – Dr. Stuart Ginn, Commercial Airline Pilot, ENT Surgeon, pioneer
will receive commercial drone ship-
of an innovative drone program at Raleigh, North Carolina-based WakeMed Health.1
ments from vendors and distribu-
The use of UAS (Unmanned Aviation Systems) for commercial medical transport in the United States is on the verge of taking off. Today in the United States, Mat-
tors to their distribution centers or directly to the point of patient care.
ternet is already working with health systems to operate reliable drone networks for critical medical deliveries.
In this scenario, a regional manufacturer of site-specific tissue called Extracellular Matrices (ECMs)
As supply chain executives build or
network. This could include blood
will use drones to provide a new type
expand their distribution brick-and-
samples flown from free-standing
of “Just in Time” delivery ... directly to
mortar infrastructure, what do they
Emergency Rooms to a central-
an off-site Ambulatory Surgery Center.
need to take into consideration to
ized laboratory to facilitate faster
These patient specific deliveries will
accommodate drone deliveries? Medical
lab test results for patients. Today,
allow better treatment customization,
deliveries by drones will typically fall
drones are delivering COVID-19
which will improve patient outcomes.
into two categories:
vaccines from a central hospital
Health systems will have less money
1. Intra-campus and inter-facility
38
pharmacy to an off-site vaccine
tied up in on-hand surgical inventory
movement of critical medical
administration site at Wake Forest
and worries about product expiration
supplies within the health system’s
Baptist Health.
dates will be reduced.
2
February 2022 | The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
