The future of health-care service delivery in the Island Health region took a promising first step recently, thanks to a successful drone demonstration at the North Island Hospital, Comox Valley.
The demo, given recently by the University of Victoria Centre for Aerospace Research (CfAR), 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 innovative 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 example, the ferry to the Cormorant Island Health Centre (only accessible by water or air) sometimes doesn’t run to due to weather or night-time conditions.
“A drone solution to move lab supplies back and forth will allow us to better serve the community and also provide another service for our clinicians and physician partners,” says Max Jajszczok, executive lead, Rural and Remote Health Sustainability and Clinical Services Planning.
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 an important first phase in that process. “I think our first exploration with Island Health will really get us a better understanding of how we can use our technology to meet the needs of healthcare on Vancouver Island,” says Jay Matlock, manager of UVic CfAR.
Further demos in the new year are expected, likely north of Campbell River. And a range of issues related to privacy, security, regulations, budgets and more will need to be addressed moving forward. This work could also have far-reaching impacts.
“What we’re able to trial and pilot here within Island Health would benefit numerous communities across British Columbia,” says Jajszczok. “So we’re also really excited about creating a capability here that could be utilized across the province, and perhaps even across the country.”
Innovation is a key priority for Island Health and involves translating the input and ingenuity of our staff, physicians, partners and patients into new ideas and solutions that address health-care challenges and improve people's lives. Examples of innovation in action include Code Hack, sensor trials at Island Health washrooms that monitor for toxic drug poisonings, enhanced accessibility features for the future Cowichan District Hospital and the Cognitive Health Initiative, a visionary project focused on research and care for patients living with cognitive health issues.