Drones May Become “The Next Big Thing” In Healthcare Delivery

Since ancient times, technology has allowed society to defy the limits of human possibility. Especially with regards to modern healthcare, the world has harnessed technology to make incredibly innovative outcomes possible.

One such example is drone technology— although originally envisioned for aerial and military use, innovators have found a way to embrace this technology for another crucial application: augmenting healthcare delivery.  

Drones have displayed incredible promise in various aspects of clinical care. One of the most profound applications has been the use of drones for telehealth and virtual care, as envisioned by University of Cincinnati researchers last year. The value impact of this is momentous, as it provides an opportunity to expand care to otherwise hard-to-reach patients and potentially resolve the significant access-to-care issues plaguing modern day healthcare.

Additionally, drones are also being utilized worldwide for delivery of healthcare supplies and goods. I wrote last year about how drones are being used for delivery of Covid-19 vaccines, which is an incredibly innovative solution to the seemingly daunting task of deciphering vaccine delivery logistics.

I also wrote last year about a study conducted by the European Heart Journal that was exploring the use of drones for delivering automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to help save out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. The study, published in August 2021, found “that AEDs can be carried by drones to real-life cases of OHCA with a successful AED delivery rate of 92%. There was a time benefit as compared to emergency medical services in cases where the drone arrived first.”

As an incredible ode to these findings, it was announced earlier last week that for the “first time in medical history,” an autonomous drone helped saved the life of a man who experienced an OHCA. The press release explains how “a 71-year-old man was shoveling snow in his driveway when he suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) […and thanks to the…] swift delivery of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), lifesaving measures through defibrillation could be initiated before the arrival of the ambulance, and his life was saved.”

A popular adage that is well known in medicine often iterates: “Time is brain.” It refers to the fact that brain tissue (and really all tissue in the human body) can only survive as long as it is getting blood flow (“perfusion”). The more time without blood flow, the more tissue death (“ischemia”) experienced. Hence, critical care medicine and life-saving measures in healthcare are often based around this fundamental question: what can be done to stabilize the patient and restore blood flow as quickly as possible?

Last week’s save executed on this adage beautifully. The press release indicates that the “time from the alarm until the AED was safely delivered at the doorstep of the incident address was just over three minutes. After the initial treatment on site, the patient was rushed to the hospital and is today fully recovered.” Especially with regards to timely out-of-hospital saves, this incident exemplifies the incredibly promising applications that drones in healthcare can potentially fulfill.

The great news is that large companies such as Amazon, Walmart, and 7-Eleven have already started extensive testing and use of drone technology for retail needs. This widespread use promises a few different positive implications. First, large retailers entering the drone space will promote research and development to advance drone technology and applications even further. Second, more use will eventually drive down the costs of drone technology, creating a lower barrier of entry for healthcare organizations. And finally, more use will allow drone technology to become a mainstream apparatus for supply-chain and logistics needs, helping grow the industry overall.

Indeed, if innovators continue to develop this technology in a safe, secure, scalable, and efficient manner, there is significant potential value that drones can provide, especially when it comes to timely healthcare delivery and measurable healthcare outcomes.