CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Clinic has launched a drone delivery service for certain prescription medications, making it the first U.S. health system to implement a long-term drone prescription delivery program, according to the health system.
The service, operated by Zipline, began deliveries last week to patients in and around Beachwood, Ohio. Initially, deliveries are available to eligible patients within a 5-mile radius of Cleveland Clinic's Beachwood Administrative Campus.
According to Cleveland Clinic, the program expands access to its pharmacy home delivery service and offers patients a faster, more convenient way to receive medications. The service is optional and provided at no additional cost.
Drones do not land at delivery locations. Instead, they lower prescription packages to the ground using a tethered delivery pod while remaining airborne, Cleveland Clinic said. Patients can track deliveries through the MyChart patient portal.
The health system plans to expand the program to additional locations and eventually use drones to transport other medications, lab samples, medically tailored meals and medical supplies.
