The JEMS Report AI-Powered Ultrasound Is Reshaping Prehospital Care and Diagnostics
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Aug 13, 2026 
Ross Prager, a Canadian ICU physician, former paramedic, and AI ultrasound researcher, explores how artificial intelligence is bringing point-of-care ultrasound to more paramedics. They discuss guided image acquisition in chaotic conditions, faster trauma and breathing assessments, ultrasound’s role in cardiac arrest and vascular access, and how prehospital scans can alert trauma teams before arrival.
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The Trauma Call That Made Ultrasound Seem Like Magic
- Ross Prager first saw prehospital ultrasound reveal pneumothorax and abdominal bleeding in a trauma patient.
- The findings prompted a chest tube, more aggressive transfusion, and advance notification before the patient’s flight.
Ultrasound’s Real Barrier Is Scaling Skills
- Ultrasound’s biggest barrier is not portability but scaling acquisition, interpretation, training, and quality assurance.
- Expert-level accuracy can drop dramatically when providers work alone under real prehospital constraints.
Build Maintenance Training Into Ultrasound Programs
- Do not treat a one- or two-day ultrasound course as permanent competence.
- Plan recurring training and maintenance because confidence and interpretation skills decay sharply within months.