Comox Valley Drone Demo Highlights Opportunities For Delivery Of Health-Care Services

Island Health says the future of health-care service delivery in the region took a promising first step recently, thanks to a successful drone demonstration at the North Island Hospital, Comox Valley.

The demonstration, given recently by the University of Victoria Centre for Aerospace Research, involved an electric, six-bladed hexacopter drone making a few flights with a simulated medical supply delivery across a field next to the hospital.

The event highlighted opportunities that could lie ahead – such as the use of drones to deliver pharmaceutical supplies or lab samples, which could especially benefit harder-to-reach communities.

“I am very excited, and my mind’s already going in a million different directions about the ways we could use this to better serve our patients – especially our patients in very rural and remote communities,” says Dr. Dieter de Bruin, executive medical director for Clinical Service Delivery on the North Island.

For one example, Island Health points out that the ferry to the Cormorant Island Health Centre sometimes doesn’t run due to weather or night-time conditions.

A drone solution to move lab supplies back and forth would help healthcare professionals and patients alike.

David Hall, operations director for Laboratory Services for the Central and North Island, says the use of drones could be a “technological transformation” for Island Health.

“If there was a network of these semi-autonomous drones moving medical supplies, lab samples, blood supplies, all of that stuff – it would just be amazing.”

Island Health and UVic CfAR are exploring a potential partnership under the umbrella of the new North Island Research and Innovation Hub – and the demo was a first phase in that process.

Further demos are expected, likely north of Campbell River.

A range of issues related to privacy, security, regulations, budgets and more will need to be addressed moving forward.

To learn more, visit Island Health.