Revolutionising emergency medical services with handheld point of care ultrasound

In the fast-paced world of emergency medical services (EMS), quick and informed decision-making can mean the difference between life and death. As pre-hospital care evolves, handheld ultrasound is becoming an essential tool for paramedics and emergency first responders, allowing them to assess critical conditions before arriving at the hospital.

One of the first EMS agencies to fully integrate handheld point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into its workflows is Hennepin EMS, a leading provider in Minnesota, US. By equipping its entire ambulance fleet with Butterfly POCUS devices, Hennepin EMS has empowered its paramedics to make faster, more confident clinical decisions, optimising patient pre-hospital care and reducing unnecessary hospital transports.

Why ultrasound matters in EMS

Traditionally, pre-hospital providers have relied on physical exams, vitals and experience to make patient care decisions. However, ultrasound adds an extra layer of clinical confidence, helping to detect life-threatening conditions on the spot, such as:

Cardiac disease and shock: Identify pericardial effusion and assess heart function.
Pulmonary emergencies: Detect pneumothorax or pulmonary edema earlier.
Trauma cases: Quickly assess for internal bleeding with FAST exams.
Vascular access: Guide IV placement in difficult cases.

With Butterfly iQ+ and Butterfly iQ3, paramedics can perform whole-body ultrasound scans with a single ultra-portable handheld device capable of whole body scanning which connects to a smartphone or tablet.

Hennepin EMS: a case study in success

To better understand the impact of handheld ultrasound in EMS, Hennepin EMS rolled out Butterfly probes across all 40 of its ambulances, training all 210 paramedics in POCUS protocols.

Key results from the first year of deployment:

Over 6,000 ultrasound scans performed in the field.
10% of cardiac and lung ultrasound exams significantly changed patient care decisions.
Paramedics used ultrasound to assess cardiac function, lung pathology and guide difficult IV placements.
Improved communication with emergency departments, enabling physicians to prioritise cases effectively, distinguish urgent from non-urgent patients, and, for critically ill patients, review ultrasound images in advance, saving valuable time upon arrival.

Hennepin’s experience highlights how Butterfly handheld POCUS devices are transforming pre-hospital care, offering faster assessments, more accurate triage and better patient management.

The future of EMS: expanding the use of handheld ultrasound

As more EMS agencies recognise the value of ultrasound, its role in pre-hospital care is rapidly expanding. Leading organisations are now exploring protocols for broader implementation, ensuring that every ambulance crew has access to real-time imaging for critical decision-making.

With handheld devices like Butterfly iQ+ and iQ3, EMS providers can:

Improve triage and transport decisions – reducing unnecessary ED visits and empowering pre-hospital care.
Enhance trauma and shock management – making time-sensitive interventions faster.
Train and upskill paramedics – expanding their clinical capabilities with POCUS while ensuring seamless quality assurance and credentialing for standardised, high-quality patient care.

Compass: enhancing EMS with workflow support and quality assurance

Beyond just scanning with Butterfly probes, Hennepin EMS leveraged Butterfly Compass, a secure, cloud-based ultrasound management platform, to standardise workflows, improve documentation and enhance remote collaboration.

With Compass, EMS providers can not only seamlessly store, review, and share ultrasound images in real-time, but also track and analyse ultrasound usage to refine clinical protocols. Built-in quality assurance tools help ensure image consistency, facilitate peer review, and support ongoing performance improvement, strengthening confidence in POCUS.

By combining Butterfly iQ POCUS devices with Compass, Hennepin EMS created a truly integrated EMS ultrasound solution, ensuring that every scan contributes to better patient care, continuous learning and clinical excellence.

Experience Butterfly iQ3 in Action

Want to see how handheld ultrasound can revolutionise pre-hospital care for your EMS care?

Visit Butterfly website to learn more.

By integrating handheld ultrasound into EMS workflows, healthcare providers like Hennepin EMS are proving that technology can enhance emergency response, making prehospital care faster, smarter and more effective. Will your EMS team be next?

This article was written by the team at Butterfly Network.

Disclaimers

For prescription use only. Butterfly iQ+/iQ3 is a portable ultrasound system designed for external ultrasound imaging. Read the User Manual for warnings, precautions and/or contraindications.

All comparative claims are made relative to second-generation iQ+ product.

Names and data used in examples on product screens are fictitious unless otherwise noted.