SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — Imagine a drone delivering prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to the doorstep or backyard of your home.
It's something Intermountain Healthcare is working to make a reality for their patients across the Salt Lake Valley, with the help of Zipline, a California-based logistics company.
FOX 13 News got a first-hand glimpse of how this will work at Zipline's Distribution Center in South Jordan.
"Today we're serving that patient population through a series of couriers or deliveries or outsource delivery partners, but really it doesn't necessarily represent new volume to Intermountain Healthcare," said Allison Corry, Vice President of Support Services at Intermountain Healthcare.
Corry says it would conceivably involve pharmaceuticals coming to a distribution site and flown out by a drone to a patient's home, in just a matter of minutes.
"They will get that delivery within 15 minutes or at the time of their choice, we're also allowing providers and amount of providers to schedule prescription delivery on behalf of their patients," said Stefanie Krieger, head of U.S. customer success at Zipline.
When it comes to the delivery process, Krieger says the patient will receive a text message once the drone is launched and be able to track the entire course of the delivery, up until the point it arrives at their home.
Krieger adds the patient does need to be at home at the time of the delivery.
"The drone itself has the capability of going in a 50-mile radius but right now with the different FAA regulations we're still in kind of a pilot mode," said Corry.
Susan Stone is the caregiver for her 87-year-old mother, Louise Romney. She says her mother takes several medications for various health issues.
"12 to 15 every month," said Stone.
While flights continue at Zipline's Distribution Center, Romney says this could be a game changer.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Romney said. "Blows my mind to think that it can even be possible, but I do love the idea."
Her daughter added that it will be an extra convenience for many people.
"There are times when I can't be here and if she runs out," Stone said, "she takes a lot of medication, and if there's one that she needs for that day, she could get it immediately."
Zipline said they have started making deliveries to select Intermountain Healthcare patients' yards in the Salt Lake Valley. They hope that over the course of five years, this drone delivery service will have the capability to serve a million residents in the Salt Lake Valley.
