UPS, Kaiser Permanente to Develop Transport of Healthcare Supplies Via Drone
October 21 2019 - 3:16PM
UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced a new drone logistics project with
Kaiser Permanente, a leading U.S. healthcare provider and nonprofit
health plan. The pilot will explore ways UPS Flight Forward™ could
help transport healthcare supplies between buildings at Kaiser
Permanente medical campuses in its 39-hospital network.
The project will determine the extent to which drone
transportation on Kaiser Permanente hospital campuses will provide
opportunities to avoid roadway delays, increase medical
distribution efficiency, lower costs and improve the patient
experience.
“We are thrilled to have Kaiser Permanente realize the benefits
of this drone delivery network,” said David Abney, UPS chairman and
chief executive officer. “When you look at all the lives touched by
this organization, having the ability to create more efficient,
timely transport of supplies can make a huge difference when speed
of delivery is a critical factor.”
Kaiser Permanente has approximately 12.2 million plan members
across eight states and the District of Columbia. The organization
continually deploys technology to connect care teams, including
primary care doctors, specialists, nurses, lab and radiology
technicians, pharmacists, and therapists — enabling collaboration
and coordinated care for faster diagnosis, treatment, and
recovery.
“We move millions of supplies and equipment in and around our
7.5 million square feet of medical space and to the homes of our
12.4 million members,” said Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO
Bernard J. Tyson. “This drone project will allow us to think into
the future about additional possibilities of perfecting logistics
and meeting the ever-growing demands on our enterprise.”
In March, UPS and Matternet announced the first FAA-sanctioned
use of a drone for routine flights under a contractual delivery
agreement. The program is expanding to University of Utah Health in
Q4 2019. UPS was granted permission in September by the FAA to
operate commercial drone flights through its new business unit, UPS
Flight Forward, Inc. This allows commercial revenue-generating
drone flights, and is an important distinction as UPS and Matternet
continue to build out drone operations on more hospital
campuses.
Enhancing the UPS Global Smart Logistics Network to support
hospitals and other healthcare organizations remains a key element
of the company’s transformation strategy. Healthcare and life
science logistics is a priority segment for UPS, and the company
continues to build new relationships and technologies to deliver
better patient care with streamlined logistics and advanced supply
chain.
About UPS Healthcare and Life Sciences
UPS Healthcare and Life Sciences provides global supply chain
solutions and expertise to pharmaceutical, biopharma and medical
device companies. UPS has approximately 8 million square feet of
cGMP- or cGDP-compliant healthcare distribution space. UPS also
maintains one of the world’s largest networks of field stocking
locations with approximately 900 sites. For parcels requiring
strict temperature environments, from CRT to cryogenic, and those
requiring around-the-clock monitoring, UPS has solutions such as
UPS Temperature True™ and UPS Proactive Response™
services. UPS is committed to expanding its healthcare
capabilities including acquisitions of Marken, CEMELOG and Poltraf,
to meet the complex and evolving supply chain needs of the
healthcare and life science sectors. Visit ups.com/healthcare.
David Graves
davidgraves@ups.com
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS)
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