Effect of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) delivery on blood product delivery time and wastage in Rwanda: a retrospective, cross-sectional study and time series analysis

Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Ndishimye, Pacifique; Katare, Swaibu; Nshimiyimana, Ladislas; Karame, Prosper; Dushimiyimana, Valentine; Musabyimana, Jean Pierre; Musanabaganwa, Clarisse; Nsanzimana, Sabin; Law, Michael R.

doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(22)00048-1

Cited by 78 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…29,30 of simple software to convert paper charts to digital format to enable continuous quality improvement cycles, and the use of drones to significantly reduce delays in the supply of blood. 31 In conclusion, the results from the present study show that there is a need for improved quality of care for women to minimize the risk…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…Several innovations have been reported in the literature to improve the quality of care for women and their newborns 29,30 . Some notable innovations are the use of templates to improve clinical information in paper charts, use of simple software to convert paper charts to digital format to enable continuous quality improvement cycles, and the use of drones to significantly reduce delays in the supply of blood 31 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A synthesis of clinical and health system bottlenecks to implementing new WHO postpartum hemorrhage recommendations: Secondary data analysis of the Kenya Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths 2014–2017

Ameh

Meka

West³

et al. 2022

Intl J Gynecology & Obste

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ObjectiveTo describe maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in Kenya by secondary analysis of the Kenya Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD) database and clinical audit of a sample of those deaths, and to identify the perceived challenges to implementing country‐specific PPH guidelines.MethodsA retrospective descriptive study using the Kenyan CEMD database and anonymized maternal death records from 2014–2017. Eight standards from the Kenya National Guidelines for Quality Obstetric and Perinatal Care were selected to perform clinical audit. The process of supporting eight Sub‐Saharan African countries to develop country‐specific PPH guidelines was described and perceived challenges implementing these were identified.ResultsIn total, 725 women died from PPH. Most women attended at least one antenatal care visit (67.2%) and most did not receive iron and folate supplementation (35.7%). Only 39.0% of women received prophylactic uterotonics in the third stage of labor. Factors significantly associated with receiving prophylactic uterotonics were place of delivery (χ2 = 43.666, df = 4; P < 0.001), being reviewed by a medical doctor (χ2 = 16.905, df = 1; P < 0.001), and being reviewed by a specialist (χ2 = 49.244, df = 1; P < 0.001). Only three of eight standards had a greater percentage of met cases in comparison to unmet cases. Key concerns about implementation of the new WHO PPH guidance included use of misoprostol by unskilled health personnel, availability of misoprostol and tranexamic acid (TXA) at primary healthcare level, lack of availability of heat‐stable carbetocin (HSC) due to cost, lack of awareness and education about HSC and TXA, and lack of systems to ensure quality oxytocin is available at point of care.ConclusionThere is a need for improved quality of care for women to minimize the risk of mortality from PPH, by implementing updated clinical guidelines combined with focused health system interventions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A synthesis of clinical and health system bottlenecks to implementing new WHO postpartum hemorrhage recommendations: Secondary data analysis of the Kenya Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths 2014–2017

Ameh

Meka

West³

et al. 2022

Intl J Gynecology & Obste

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“…Findings that blood is a valuable medical item to fly within done-based care supports current literature. Rwanda integrated blood delivery with drones in 2016 to improve blood delivery and care (19). 43% of drone deliveries, from 2017 to 2019 in Rwanda were emergency blood deliveries and had quicker dispatches than ground transportation (19).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rwanda integrated blood delivery with drones in 2016 to improve blood delivery and care (19). 43% of drone deliveries, from 2017 to 2019 in Rwanda were emergency blood deliveries and had quicker dispatches than ground transportation (19). A study in Montreal simulated the delivery of blood products from a blood bank to a hospital, comparing drones with ground transportation, finding that drones were faster and offered significant time benefits, which would be beneficial during a mass casualty incident (20).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the needs and uses for drones in medical emergencies in England and Scotland: a survey of emergency healthcare workers

Théorêt

Barrack

Morgan

2022

Preprint

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Background: The application of drones in healthcare is a new concept being introduced in various countries to fly medical supplies. Public perceptions have been investigated but the perceptions of healthcare professionals on the frontline have not been explored. This study examined the perceptions of emergency care providers in England and Scotland to determine how they believe drones could be used when providing emergency care. Methods: Frontline healthcare professionals were surveyed regarding their perceptions of drones in emergency medical scenarios. A survey with 27 questions built on SNAP 11 was published on social media for participant recruitment. Results: Thematic analysis yielded insights into what healthcare professionals believe should be flown in an emergency notably: blood, defibrillators, and medication. Drones are perceived to be beneficial for life-threatening scenarios (high-risk, time-critical, trauma, search and rescue applications) and routine medical care such as delivery of medical supplies and minor interventions. 100% of participants believed that providing medical care could benefit from a drone flying to a remote area or directly to a patient. 76% believed that having a drone fly key medical equipment faster could change the outcome of a patient. Scepticism regarding regulations and logistics involved, as well as concern for drone-based medical care, were identified by participants. Conclusion: Drone use in healthcare remains an immature field and this study confirms that this domain warrants further research. It is key to remember that the perspectives of those impacted by the integration of drones will have to be explored to guide the application.

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“…Proofs of concept and simulations of drug and vaccine delivery, provision of care technology in emergencies, and transport of laboratory samples and organs via drone have been topics of study [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In Rwanda, drone transportation has led to faster delivery times for time-critical health products [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality Analysis of Tuberculosis Specimens Transported by Drones versus Ground Transportation

Malamule

Moreira

Madeira

et al. 2022

Drones

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There are many challenges that impact the current referral network for Tuberculosis (TB) sputum specimens in Mozambique. In some cases, health facilities are remote and the road infrastructure is poor and at times impassable, leading to delays in laboratory specimen transportation and long turn-around times for results. Drone transportation is a promising solution to reduce transportation time and improve access to laboratory diagnostics if the sample quality is not compromised during transport. This study evaluated the impact of drone transportation on the quality of TB sputum specimens with suspected Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 156 specimens were collected at five (5) health centers and sent to the Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS) National TB Reference Laboratory. Specimens were then equally divided into two aliquots; one to be transported on land and the other by air using a drone. Control and study group specimens were processed using the NALC-NaOH method. Agreement between sample and control specimens was acceptable, indicating that drone transportation did not affect the quality of TB specimens. The authors recommend additional studies to validate drone transportation of TB specimens over a longer period of time to give further confidence in the adoption of drone delivery in Mozambique.

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Effect of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) delivery on blood product delivery time and wastage in Rwanda: a retrospective, cross-sectional study and time series analysis

Cited by 78 publications

References 18 publications

A synthesis of clinical and health system bottlenecks to implementing new WHO postpartum hemorrhage recommendations: Secondary data analysis of the Kenya Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths 2014–2017

A synthesis of clinical and health system bottlenecks to implementing new WHO postpartum hemorrhage recommendations: Secondary data analysis of the Kenya Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths 2014–2017

Exploring the needs and uses for drones in medical emergencies in England and Scotland: a survey of emergency healthcare workers

Quality Analysis of Tuberculosis Specimens Transported by Drones versus Ground Transportation

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