AI-Powered Emergency Response Aims to Improve Pediatric Care

Researchers explore how artificial intelligence can enhance emergency medical services and save more young lives.

Published on Feb. 1, 2026

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Researchers in Cambridge, Massachusetts are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into emergency medical services (EMS) to improve outcomes, particularly for pediatric patients. The work involves video consultations between paramedics and doctors, as well as developing AI models that can analyze data from emergency scenes to provide real-time guidance to responders. While the technology is still in the research phase, the potential benefits include faster response times, more accurate diagnoses, and ultimately, more lives saved.

Why it matters

Children's unique physiology and the infrequency of pediatric emergencies make them a particularly challenging population for EMS providers. AI-powered tools could help bridge this gap by providing instant access to pediatric-specific protocols and guidance, potentially reducing the time to life-saving interventions. Beyond the ambulance, researchers envision AI assistants that could guide bystanders through emergency procedures until professional help arrives.

The details

The research, led by Dr. Tehnaz Boyle at Boston Medical Center, is focused on quantifying the benefits of video consultations between paramedics and doctors. Separately, Dr. Deepti Ghadiyaram at Boston University is developing AI models that can analyze audio and video data from emergency scenes to provide real-time guidance to paramedics. These AI tools could remind providers of correct medication dosages, guide them through pediatric CPR, and even predict potential complications before they arise.

  • The research led by Dr. Boyle is expected to continue for the next two years, with potential for pilot programs shortly thereafter.

The players

Dr. Tehnaz Boyle

A pediatric emergency physician at Boston Medical Center who is leading research on the benefits of video consultations between paramedics and doctors.

Dr. Deepti Ghadiyaram

A researcher at Boston University who is developing AI models to analyze data from emergency scenes and provide real-time guidance to paramedics.

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What they’re saying

“We're trying to see if having a physician's eye on the situation, even remotely, leads to faster and more accurate treatment decisions.”

— Dr. Tehnaz Boyle, Pediatric Emergency Physician, Boston Medical Center (newsy-today.com)

“Encounters with sick children are uncommon and highly stressful. Most EMS clinicians may only encounter one or at most a few in their career.”

— Dr. Tehnaz Boyle, Pediatric Emergency Physician, Boston Medical Center (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

Researchers will continue to test and validate the AI algorithms to ensure their accuracy and reliability, with the goal of launching pilot programs in the coming years.

The takeaway

The integration of AI into emergency medical services has the potential to dramatically improve outcomes, especially for vulnerable populations like children. While the technology is still in development, the promise of faster response times, more accurate diagnoses, and ultimately, more lives saved, makes this a promising area of research that could transform the future of emergency care.