by Taliyah Henderson, MSIT, Center Research Assistant and PhD Student in Rural Health Sciences at Mercer University
Imagine living in a rural area, far from the nearest pharmacy, with limited access to vital medications. For many elderly individuals or people with disabilities, this scenario is all too familiar. Even though pharmacies are essential for maintaining health, many rural areas face a significant issue: they simply do not have easy access. This is often referred to as a “pharmacy desert,” where people are left struggling to get the prescriptions they need. My dissertation focuses on a potential solution to this challenge, using drone technology to deliver medications to those who need them most.
The Problem: Rural Pharmacy Deserts
Access to health care and medications is already difficult for many people, but it becomes especially complicated in rural areas. Elderly individuals and those with disabilities face even greater challenges. With limited transportation options, physical challenges, and the long distances between rural homes and pharmacies, getting prescriptions on time can be a logistical nightmare. This situation is compounded when pharmacies are scarce or unavailable in remote locations. Even though online pharmacies have emerged as a potential solution, many rural areas still lack reliable mail or delivery services. The concept of using drone technology to deliver medications is a promising option, but before it can be implemented on a large scale, it is important to test and understand its feasibility and effectiveness.
The Drone Delivery Pilot Program
My dissertation examines the feasibility and effectiveness of using drone technology to deliver simulated medications to elderly patients and people with disabilities living in rural “pharmacy deserts.” By conducting a drone delivery pilot program, I aimed to address transportation challenges and help decrease the rate of independent pharmacy closures, ultimately improving access to medications for these underserved communities. In this pilot program, I used a drone to simulate real-world medication deliveries to participants living in rural Georgia. The focus was on elderly individuals and people with disabilities who often face the most significant challenges when it comes to transportation and health care access. The drone delivered simulated medications directly to their homes, bypassing the need for them to travel long distances to their pharmacy.
Why Focus on Drones?
Drones offer several potential advantages that make them an ideal technology for this challenge. First and foremost, drones are fast. They can bypass the slow, often unreliable road systems in rural areas, delivering medications much quicker than traditional ground transportation. Drones can be a cost-effective solution. Traditional delivery systems, particularly in remote areas, are expensive and resource intensive. Drones, on the other hand, can be operated with minimal human intervention, reducing operational costs over time. For people living in rural areas, this could be a game-changer in terms of access to vital medications.
Testing the Feasibility and Effectiveness
As part of this pilot program, the focus was on examining whether drones can reach rural locations with ease, overcoming obstacles such as terrain, distance, and weather conditions, analyzing the drone’s performance in terms of accuracy, delivery time, and reliability. Can drones consistently deliver medications to the right person at the right time? The human side of this technology is crucial. I requested feedback from participants to understand their perceptions of drones. Were they comfortable with the idea of receiving their medications via drone? Did they see it as a viable solution for the future?
Key Findings
The results of the pilot program are promising. I found that drone delivery was indeed feasible in rural settings, able to navigate various environmental obstacles and deliver medications accurately to participants’ homes. The ongoing analysis of drone delivery in rural communities has revealed some early insights, though these findings are still preliminary and subject to change. Initial results suggest that drone delivery times and accuracy may vary across multiple attempts. Additionally, factors such as endurance and reliability appear to influence overall drone performance. Beyond logistics, attitudes toward drone-delivered medications shift after experiencing the pilot program firsthand. Community members have expressed a range of perspectives on the use of drones for medication delivery, and independent pharmacists also hold varying opinions on their potential role in health care distribution.
Henderson will defend her dissertation and present her research findings on March 21 at Mercer University School of Medicine.