Cleveland Clinic begins drone delivery of prescription medicines

Cleveland Clinic has begun using autonomous drones to deliver prescription medicines to patients’ homes, launching what it describes as the first long-term prescription-drug drone delivery program by a US health system.

The service, operated with drone delivery company Zipline, is initially available within a 5-mile (8km) radius of Cleveland Clinic’s Beachwood Administrative Campus, in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. The first deliveries were completed last week in and around Beachwood.

Eligible patients already using Cleveland Clinic’s pharmacy home-delivery service can opt to receive medicines by drone at no additional cost. Controlled substances are excluded from the program.

The electric drones collect sealed prescriptions from a secure drop box at the pharmacy and fly autonomously to the delivery address. Rather than landing, the aircraft can remain up to 300ft (91m) above the ground while a pod carrying the package descends on a tether. After the delivery, the pod is retrieved and the drone returns to its charging station. Patients can track deliveries through Cleveland Clinic’s MyChart patient portal.

“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, the health system’s Chief of Operations. “This drone delivery program is an example of how we can use technology to help patients receive important medications quickly, safely, and efficiently.”

The health system plans to extend the service to other locations and potentially use drones to transport lab samples, medically tailored meals, and medical supplies.