Courier Service Grows Rx Deliveries During Pandemic

Indianapolis-based Pillow Logistics Inc. has provided courier service to Eskenazi Health for about 15 years, delivering critical tissues, specimens, and blood to its clinics and labs. But as the pandemic gripped the state, the delivery company expanded the partnership and is now delivering medications to more than 3,000 of Eskenazi’s homebound patients.

Pillow Logistics is averaging about 100 deliveries per day.

“When the pandemic started, people were asked to shelter home, businesses were closing, and other businesses were limiting the number of people to come in. We still had patients that needed prescriptions,” said Todd Cox, Eskenazi’s manager for outpatient pharmacy services.

Cox says many of their patients face barriers in getting to the hospital, including physical limitations, developmental issues, or transportation challenges. That’s when the health system contacted Pillow.

The courier service was able to integrate its systems with Eskenzai, allowing pharmacists team to place delivery orders directly into the logistics portal.

“Orders are placed by the pharmacy daily and we deliver those same day. Our system then provides the pharmacy team real time visibility into their patient, order status, order, and delivery order status,” said Pillow Logistics President Eddie Pillow.

Pillow says the company uses geofencing technology to help the company and the hospital to track the location of the prescription and to verify it was delivered to the correct address.

“We were looking for more than a standard service,” said Cox. “With Pillow, it’s delivered to the patient’s hand so that we know that the patient receives the medication. We know when they receive it, and we know that it’s been handled properly.”

Pillow says the additional work with Eskenazi has allowed him to hire an additional ten people. He is also hoping to expand his business throughout the state.