Theme 2: Remote Monitoring and Virtual Care
Start the Breathe
The Remote Drone-Delivered Project to Deliver Immediate Care At-the-Scene for Respiratory Distress
Lead:
Wade Hawkins
Co-Lead:
Andy Kirkpatrick
.
INNOVATION STAGE
Proof of Concept and Implementation/Integration
Health Innovation Focus
Acute Illness & Injury
Population and Setting
Adult, Rural & Remote
Technology and Intervention
Robotics, actuators, and human interfaces; Digital Communication
BENEFITS
For Users
Immediate Access to Life-Saving Medical Care: Patients receive essential medical supplies quickly, providing crucial aid before responders arrive. Life-Saving Interventions: Timely delivery of medical kits and telemedicine support helps prevent fatalities in remote or high-risk locations. Enhanced Survival Rates: Prompt intervention and monitoring significantly improve survival chances and recovery outcomes. Students of Public Health Safety: Practical insights and learning opportunities from a cutting-edge, real-world application of technology in emergency care. Enhanced Safety: Families gain peace of mind knowing that advanced technology is available to assist loved ones in emergencies. Community Health Improvement: Increased access to timely medical care can improve overall community health and reduce fatality rates. Empowerment and Independence: Communities become more resilient and self-reliant, with better tools to manage emergencies.
For The System
Research Opportunities: Creates data for advancing research in remote healthcare, leading to new innovations and practical applications.
Revenue Generation: Potential for revenue through licensing of drone technology and associated medical equipment.
Collaboration and Funding: Attracts partnerships and investment from stakeholders interested in pioneering healthcare delivery.
Optimized Emergency Response: Enhances response efficiency, reducing strain on conventional emergency services.
Scalable Solutions: Develops scalable models for healthcare delivery, adaptable to various underserved regions.
Enhanced Healthcare Infrastructure: Strengthens healthcare systems through advanced technological integration.
Cost Savings: Reduces healthcare costs by preventing severe complications and lowering the need for extensive emergency interventions.
Project Theme Information
People in remote or hard-to-reach areas, such as those hiking on treacherous paths, living in isolated communities, or trapped in emergency situations like fires, often struggle to receive immediate medical care. Limited access to medical intervention in these critical moments can be fatal. Additionally, a lack of telemedicine and remote monitoring capabilities in these locations increases stress and risks for individuals and places extra pressure on emergency responders, who may be delayed in reaching patients.
This intervention consists of a fleet of drones designed to deliver medical kits to inaccessible or remote locations where emergency responders face delays. These drones are equipped to carry essential medical supplies directly to patients, integrating seamlessly with emergency response and tele-mentoring protocols to provide life-saving support when seconds count.
Drones capable of carrying scalable payloads are dispatched to deliver medical kits directly to patients in remote locations. These drones are integrated into existing emergency response systems, providing immediate access to medical care and telemedicine support. Additionally, remote monitoring tools enable tracking of vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, oxygen levels) to help responders make informed decisions and administer prompt interventions. This approach buys critical time, enhancing survival outcomes while reducing the burden on emergency responders.
Other Known Cases:
Medical Supply Delivery: Drones are used to deliver emergency medical supplies, vaccines, and blood to remote or disaster-struck areas. For example, Zipline has successfully delivered blood products to hospitals in rural Rwanda and Ghana.
Search and Rescue Operations: Drones assist in locating missing or injured persons in hard-to-reach areas, using thermal imaging to find people in forests, mountains, or during natural disasters.
Telemedicine: Drones equipped with communication devices deliver medical kits and allow doctors to guide patients remotely. This concept has been tested in disaster zones where medical personnel cannot reach quickly.
Organ Transportation: Drones have been tested to transport organs for transplant between hospitals, reducing transportation time significantly and improving patient outcomes.
Get Involved
Join Drone Trials
Join our winter and spring drone delivery trials or participate in research design—email to sign up!
Get in touch
.
View other projects and explore the Health Everywhere Portfolio to see how local innovations are transforming care across the province.
Explore the Health Everywhere Portfolio to see how local innovations are solving real-world challenges and shaping the future of care across the province.
ABOUT
The Health Everywhere Hub portfolio map showcases academic-led projects tackling real healthcare challenges across Alberta. By highlighting shared goals and commonalities, we hope to spark collaboration and amplify impact across the system.
It’s more than a list of projects - this evolving collection shows what’s possible when partnerships, bold ideas, and real-world testing come together.