Pilot evaluation of smart glasses for communication workflow and task performance in prehospital care

Communication between emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians and online medical control (OLMC) physicians is essential for effective prehospital decision-making but is currently limited by verbal-only tools (e.g., phone or radio).

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of smart glasses on EMS-OLMC communication, workflow, and clinical task performance.

We conducted a pilot randomized crossover trial with 16 simulated EMS sessions across two agencies in the United States. EMS clinicians managed two scenarios using either smart glasses or standard communication (radio/phone) to consult with OLMC physicians. Task completeness and physician prompts were independently assessed by paired paramedic and physician reviewers using a standardized checklist, and both simulation and teleconsultation durations were analyzed to evaluate workflow impact.

Smart glasses affected both workflow and clinical performance. Workflow analysis showed significantly longer simulation and teleconsultation durations when smart glasses were used compared with phone sessions (p < 0.05). Clinically, smart glasses yielded higher completion rates for physician-prompted critical tasks (96.0%) compared with radio/.48%, p < 0.05) and were associated with more physician prompts overall (2.1 vs. 1.6 per session).

Smart glasses have the potential to enhance EMS-OLMC communication and improve completion of physician-guided critical tasks, though these benefits come with longer interactions. These findings highlight important workflow considerations for integrating smart glasses into EMS practice.