Applications of Augmented Reality for Pre-hospital Emergency Care: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials (Preprint)

Abstract

Innovations in emergency medical services and prehospital care have led to improvement in patient outcomes over the past several decades, including a reduction in early deaths following traumatic injuries and improved survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest following early initiation of BLS procedures. However, there remain significant challenges to providing high-quality prehospital emergency care, especially in resource-limited settings.

This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of augmented reality (AR) technologies in pre-hospital emergency care by evaluating AR’s role in improving clinical decision making, care processes, and educational outcomes for emergency medical services (EMS).

Data Source: Manuscripts were sourced from online academic databases including PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, IEEE, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL Complete, and ACM. Study Selection: 14 randomized controlled trials (RCT) were selected from a primary screening of 2081 manuscripts. Studies were included if they investigated the impact of wearable or handheld AR technology on education or clinical decision making within the pre-hospital emergency medical setting. Data Extraction: Data were extracted using a standardized collection template, and included study characteristics such as sample size and demographics, intervention type, primary outcome, statistical methodology, and results. Data Synthesis: Data were synthesized narratively.

Results from these trials suggest that AR can significantly enhance real-time clinical support and training efficiency, which may influence patient care and responder preparedness. The review highlights the potential of AR applications to transform EMS by improving accuracy and reducing response times during critical care scenarios. It also outlines existing challenges with technology integration and proposes directions for future research to maximize the benefits of AR in pre-hospital settings.

Results from these trials suggest that AR can significantly enhance real-time clinical support and training efficiency, which may influence patient care and responder preparedness. The review highlights the potential of AR applications to transform EMS by improving accuracy and reducing response times during critical care scenarios. It also outlines existing challenges with technology integration and proposes directions for future research to maximize the benefits of AR in pre-hospital settings.