Beyond blood pressure: The emerging role of wearable doppler ultrasound in prehospital care

Prehospital and critical care transport environments rely heavily on vital sign data to guide clinical decision-making. However, the acquisition of accurate vital signs is challenged by dynamic conditions. These challenges are further compounded in patients presenting with shock, in whom conventional non-invasive monitoring devices are frequently inaccurate, while invasive monitoring techniques are constrained by resource availability and practitioner qualifications. Wearable Doppler ultrasound systems represent a novel approach that may address equipment and practitioner limitations by enabling continuous, non-invasive assessment of central hemodynamic parameters. Although early evidence suggests promise, data gaps remain, representing a key barrier to broader adoption of these devices. Further validation of wearable Doppler systems in prehospital and critical care transport settings is needed to better define their role within clinical workflows and to determine their impact on patient-centered outcomes.