Arrive AI and Ottonomy launch fully autonomous medical deliveries at Hancock Regional Hospital
Hospitals must always look for new ways to reduce cost and improve patient care. At Hancock Regional Hospital in Greenfield, Indiana, staff are now getting help from ground robots and smart delivery units that work without direct human interaction. The new system aims to improve patient care by reducing the time that healthcare workers spend walking supplies from place to place.
Arrive AI and Ottonomy have launched the first fully asynchronous robotic automation for medical deliveries inside a hospital. The two year partnership with Hancock Health uses autonomous Ottobot robots and Arrive Points, which are secure storage units that hold medical items until staff have time to pick them up.
How the System Works
The process starts after staff place lab specimens in the nearest Arrive Point. The unit signals an Ottobot, which retrieves the items and delivers them to another Arrive Point. The system alerts authorized staff that the delivery has arrived. Items remain stored at the correct temperature until pickup.
Arrive AI CEO Dan O’Toole says this approach changes how robots fit into hospital operations.
“Some hospitals, including a few in Indiana, already use robots for repetitive tasks, but those still require human interaction when the robots reach their destinations,” said O’Toole. “Ours is the first to provide a universal access point where biospecimens can be securely housed until busy healthcare professionals are ready for them. At scale, our platform will generate data insights that drive even greater innovation.”
Ottonomy CEO Ritukar Vijay says the system saves time for caregivers.
“Hospitals are huge places. Medical professionals, who would rather be delivering direct patient care, walk thousands of steps a day moving biospecimens and other items,” said Vijay. “The combination of Arrive Points and Ottobot robots offers enormous value.”
Focus on Patient Care
Performance indicators suggest strong early results. Hancock Health believes the platform helps staff spend more time with patients.
“Patient care is our top priority and introducing Arrive AI into our facility helps ensure our providers can maximize one on one time with their patients,” said Hancock Health president and CEO Steve Long. “Whether through the latest surgical innovations or robotics, Hancock Health is committed to staying at the forefront of healthcare technology to provide the best care for East Central Indiana.”
Clinicians and support staff say they feel the difference. At the Sue Ann Wortman Cancer Center, medical assistant Clara Quakenbush says she spends about 90 minutes a day walking specimens to the lab.
“Every minute spent delivering samples is a minute not spent with patients,” Quakenbush said. “Having the robots handle those deliveries is going to save us so much time.”
Vijay also highlighted the unique nature of the program.
“The asynchronous pickup and delivery with secure chain of custody is a huge boost to clinicians’ valuable time,” he said. “This is the world’s first unattended pickup and drop off by robots in healthcare. It’s game changing.”
Future Plans
Arrive AI has installed Arrive Points near the lab and surgical center. Each location is about one eighth of a mile from nurses stations. Long said success at the hospital makes expansion likely across Hancock Health’s network of more than 30 locations.
The rollout will continue in phases. Arrive AI plans to use lessons from Hancock Health to build a broader model linking ground robots, couriers, and drones in one system. The company will design, deploy, and optimize that network while working to ensure regulatory compliance and measurable return on investment.
Healthcare systems face ongoing pressure to improve efficiency and lower cost. Autonomous delivery tools like Arrive Points and Ottobot robots show that technology can support staff and free up time for direct patient care. The partnership in Indiana offers a real world look at where hospital logistics may be headed next.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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