By Cassandra Sweetman | wcyb.com
WISE, VA –
New technology brought extra help to the RAM clinic at the Wise Fairgrounds, but the implications for the future of healthcare go beyond the event. Drones are expected to change the way healthcare reaches its patients.
Many people in the region are like Wes Miller, who hasn’t had insurance since he was laid off from his job earlier this year. He relies on the Health Wagon and the RAM clinic to treat his heart conditions.
“They got my voucher and they got my medication that I have to have everyday for my stent, so if it wasn’t for them I don’t know,” said Miller.
At the clinic on Friday, his medication delivery made history.
For the first time ever, drones were approved by the FAA to make a delivery in the U.S., and they delivered medicine to people at RAM. Unmanned aircraft operated by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia brought the pharmaceuticals to Wise. Then a smaller unmanned aircraft system, known as UAS, delivered the goods in smaller packages to the clinic.
Governor Terry McAuliffe said he expects the drones will help everyone who struggles to get aid.
“Revolutionizing the way we deliver healthcare, we can now get to remote areas, we can get to areas during horrible weather,” said the governor. “These drones can fly… this is the first in the nation to do it.”
These smaller drones can carry up to 5 1/2 lbs. of supplies, and travel up to ten miles, faster than any person can drive. The drones made six deliveries Friday, providing enough medicine for nearly 30 patients. Health Wagon Executive Director Dr. Teresa Gardner said the packages have everything from insulin to sutures.
“Some of the places we go to are two, two-and-a-half, three hours out, and you can’t really anticipate everything that you’re going to need on that unit,” said Gardner.
People leading the way with drone technology expect operators will be as common as car mechanics in the near future.
That’s good news for people like Miller.
“I went from having super insurance to not knowing where I’m going to get my next bill,” said Miller, “and with this, maybe now it’ll be delivered right to my door.”
