Credit: Pixabay
Technological development has become almost synonymous with
healthcare progression due to the potentially huge impact new equipment and
software can have on the medical world. Recent introductions into patient care strategies, are drones and
quadcopters. This article looks at three different ways these miniature
aircraft are revolutionising healthcare.
Frontline Care
Credit: Pixabay
Drones have the advantage of speed and agility, which other
medical vehicles rarely match. This is what makes these machines so valuable;
in life or death circumstances time is of the essence. These attributes have
led a variety of companies, including TU Delft and Google, to develop drones
capable of providing first response care to the public whilst patients are
waiting for an ambulance to arrive. The ambulance drone for
example, has on-board defibrillators and is able to teach bystanders how to
perform CPR and use the equipment until medical professionals arrive. This kind
of technology can similarly be used in combat situations, to provide care
without further risk to human life.
Quick Prescriptions
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Another important advantage that drones provide is
convenience, which in a world of ever-busier populations is an essential
consideration for healthcare providers. Many people ignore persistent ailments
and symptoms because they have little time and do not want to prioritise a
visit to the doctor’s, hoping instead that the problem will fix itself.
We are not quite there yet, but in the near future there is
the very real potential that with developments in healthcare app design, virtual doctor’s appointments will be able to be conducted
from home. This ease of diagnosis combined with the possibility of drone prescription
deliveries direct from pharmacy
wholesalers to the patient’s door, may mean that more people will get
symptoms checked earlier, which could save lives.
Rural Transport
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Similar to frontline care, drones have a significant
advantage in countries lacking rural infrastructure. Where ambulance drones
provide temporary support, Zipline drones
for example, are capable of delivering vital blood for transfusions and even transplant
organs to patients and clinics who otherwise would not have access to these
resources. In Rwanda, there are villages that would take four hours to reach by
truck. If a woman there suffers post-partum haemorrhaging and the local clinic
has no blood stores, she could die before new supplies could reach her. With
drone deliveries on the other hand, a drop could be organised and delivered
within fifteen minutes, giving local doctors enough time to save her.
Developments in healthcare often follow technological
advances and the proliferation and availability of drone technology has been no
different in its impact. The above uses for drones are just the tip of the
iceberg in terms of the services they could provide and they are already
revolutionising the way medical professionals are able to treat their patients.
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