Looks like Zipline’s years of practice in Africa are all coming to usefulness at home, with the drone logistics company confirming that it has scored a deal with Cleveland Clinic – a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical centre that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education – to deliver certain medications to patients’ homes via drones.
The development is seismic, as it is set to mark the start of the first long-term deployment of a prescription drug drone delivery program by a health system in the United States.
The first successful deliveries were made last week in and around Beachwood.
The service is currently focused on deliveries that are within a five-mile radius of Cleveland Clinic’s Beachwood Administrative Campus, which serves as the drones’ home base.
Over time, Cleveland Clinic plans to expand to additional locations and include delivery of other medications, lab samples, medically tailored meals and supplies.
This service will also allow Cleveland Clinic to expand access to its pharmacy home delivery program and provide easier, quicker access to prescribed medications for our patients. Patients who currently utilize the home delivery program for certain medications are initially eligible for this service.
Drone delivery is optional, and there is no extra cost for patients.
“Cleveland Clinic is committed to exploring innovative ways to improve access and make healthcare more responsive to the needs of our patients,” said Bill Peacock, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations at Cleveland Clinic.
“This drone delivery program is an example of how we can use technology to help patients receive important medications quickly, safely and efficiently.”
For this initiative, Cleveland Clinic is working with the company Zipline, which delivers medical supplies, food and other goods via drone. Zipline’s technology is designed to provide precise deliveries, using minimal energy.
The days of the Zipline’s Zips or Robins dropping packages from high up in the air are long gone, so Cleveland Clinic has to only contend with the Platform 1 iteration of the drone, which still would not land on the ground, but uses a pod with a winch system instead.
When a prescription is ready, a Cleveland Clinic pharmacy technician will place the package into a secure drop box. The drone then autonomously pulls up the order, and flies to its destination.
Upon arrival, the drone stays up to 300 feet in the air while a pod containing the package descends to the ground on the tether. The pod delivers the order and ascends back into the drone, which then flies back to its charging station. Patients can track their delivery through a link in their MyChart messaging portal.
Patients whose medications are eligible for drone delivery will be notified by Cleveland Clinic’s pharmacy team through their electronic patient portal account. Controlled substances will not be transported via drones at this time.
“Receiving medication quickly and conveniently can make a meaningful difference for patients,” said Lindsey Amerine, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Cleveland Clinic.
“This program is another way in which we’re strengthening home delivery and extending the reach of our services beyond the walls of our facilities.”
Zipline’s President of U.S. Healthcare Hillary Brendzel said, “This program between Cleveland Clinic and Zipline makes it easier for patients to access the medicine they need. That’s one less errand to run, and more time back in people’s days. This launch is the latest milestone in Cleveland Clinic’s long history of using innovation to create a better patient experience.”
Zipline is the world’s largest autonomous delivery service and has delivered tens of millions of medical products globally (but mostly in Africa) since its first flights in 2016.
Each drone performs more than 500 safety checks per second while in flight. In addition, Cleveland Clinic and Zipline have worked together to ensure compliance with all regulations and technical requirements for drone delivery.