The UMCG wants to use medical drones to deliver healthcare at the right place and the right time. This is how the Groningen hospital wants to bring healthcare closer to the patient. It is looking to join the Medical Drone Service consortium.
Medical Drone Service is a consortium that is an initiative of PostNL and ANWB Medical Air Assistance. Several parties are involved in the consortium. KPN and drone manufacturer AVY provide technical support. From the medical world, Erasmus MC, Isala, Sanquin, Certe, Resultlab, Amsterdam UMC and St Antonius are connected to the project. So now the UMCG is also joining.
Keeping care accessible and available
The consortium sets itself the goal of keeping healthcare accessible and available throughout the Netherlands. To this end, it focuses on innovative mobility solutions, in which drones play an important role. For instance, drones can make care available faster and bring it closer to patients. In addition, Medical Drone Service wants to connect hospitals using drones.
The drone used by the consortium was developed by AVY, an Amsterdam-based company. The vehicle has a striking design with a large yellow wing. Like an aircraft, this provides carrying capacity. The design contributes significantly to the drone's range, which is almost 100 kilometres with a 3-kilogram load. This load transports the drone in a special compartment. This is equipped with insulation and therefore always remains at the right temperature.
Flying on instantly thanks to interchangeable battery
Another feature is the presence of a removable battery. This can be replaced upon arrival at a location, after which the drone can immediately go on the road again without charging time. The consortium is also developing a charging system that allows the drone to recharge on the landing platform.
On the purpose of the drone, Martin ter Haar, manager of the UMCG Mobile Medical Team, says: "It can ensure that patients can be treated outpatient or closer to home because lab results are available faster or the exchange with first-line care is more efficient. It can also make a positive contribution to regional cooperation and medical inventory management in the UMCG. And it contributes to the UMCG's sustainable goals by reducing our CO2 emissions. Over a three-year period, we will investigate what concrete effects are feasible."
Legislation not yet suitable
It is unclear when medical drones can actually be deployed. The laws and regulations governing the professional use of drones outside the sight of a pilot must first develop for this to happen. The Mobile Medical Team and the Clinical Pharmacy Department of the UMCG will investigate and prepare for the deployment of medical drones in the coming period. The UMCG is also calling on other healthcare organisations to think along about the expansion for a medical drone network in the Northern Netherlands region.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: AVY
