HERSHEY, Pa. — An innovative new tool aimed at improving rural health equity debuted today (April 23) in northern Dauphin County, as Penn State College of Medicine launched the area’s first interactive “smart” public health vending machine. The machine delivers free, life‑saving and essential health supplies while helping residents connect with key community services.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new machine at Hamilton Health Center in Millersburg, a Federally Qualified Health Center. The project is funded by a grant from the Dauphin County Commissioners and has received enthusiastic support from the Borough of Millersburg.
Unlike traditional public health vending machines, the new interactive model offers an innovative touchscreen interface that:
- Dispenses free health and wellness items such as naloxone, drug checking strips, HIV self-test kits, condoms, hygiene kits and cold/flu kits
- Delivers bilingual (English and Spanish) public health education videos and messaging, with Haitian Creole soon to be added
- Connects users directly to local support and community service organizations
- Enables longitudinal, anonymous data collection to help evaluate health outcomes over time
“This technology makes essential supplies and health information more accessible, more engaging and more connected to the community,” said Alice Zhang, assistant professor of family and community medicine at Penn State College of Medicine, who is principal investigator on the project. “It’s a model designed with — and for — the communities it serves.”
The initiative was made possible through initial funding from Penn State College of Medicine’s Comprehensive Health Studies Collaborative Pilot Award (October 2022) and matching funds from the Department of Family and Community Medicine, which jump-started the program’s development. Additional support comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) K23 Career Development Award and the CTSI KL2 Program, which are advancing evaluation and sustainability efforts.
Each machine was developed through extensive community input, with local voices helping to guide decisions about location, content and services, according to Zhang. While other machines have launched in urban areas, the Millersburg site marks the first rural installation in Pennsylvania, extending vital harm-reduction and health resources to underserved populations.
Additional “smart” public health vending machines are located at:
- 111 South Front Street in Harrisburg
- 631 Washington Street in Reading
- 605 South George Street in York
The Smart Public Health Vending Machine initiative is led by Penn State College of Medicine and local partners to help improve public health access and outcomes through innovative technology and community-driven design.