Delivering the right solution often begins with understanding the right context. RIVANNA’s introduction to the military healthcare sector was shaped not only by a product pitch, but by the realization that the primary challenge lay in mastering the language of the field as much as its technology.
Our team was fluent in the language of NIH grant review panels, civilian anesthesiology, and hospital-based pain management. However, military healthcare operates under different clinical pressures and communication norms. From Role 1 triage environments to Role 3 surgical hospitals, provider needs and mission profiles vary widely. To effectively contribute, we had to recalibrate how we discussed clinical value, procedural utility, and system integration.
Understanding What Military Healthcare Providers Need
In speaking with active-duty CRNAs, anesthesiologists, and military researchers, one thing became clear: standardized tools are not always field ready. Many technologies developed for civilian use do not translate into deployed settings, either due to complexity, footprint, or training requirements.
Accuro® 3S is designed to empower anesthesia providers to perform safer, more efficient spinal and epidural procedures by delivering continuous, AI-powered ultrasound guidance. As the first FDA-cleared neuraxial ultrasound system with automated spinal landmark detection, real-time needle tracking, and in-plane access, Accuro 3S streamlines workflows into single-operator procedures regardless of ultrasound experience. This comprehensive solution aligns well with military needs, but simply listing them is insufficient. We had to demonstrate how they solve problems that are common in military healthcare: inconsistent access to preoperative imaging, limited staffing, and time-critical decision-making.
Why Ultrasound Alone Isn’t Enough in Military Healthcare
Standard ultrasound guidance has clinical value but is often impractical for field-forward environments. General-purpose systems require advanced training, rely on preprocedural imaging, and may not support mid-procedure guidance when time is limited. The 3S-MIL variant of Accuro 3S will be optimized for use in military settings by making the system more compact and durable. Additional modifications will include integrating the device with military electronic health records systems and adaptation of image processing for service member demographics. The 3S-MIL variant will undergo evaluations with military clinicians as well as validation studies to ensure its performance in military medical centers and hospitals. These refinements represent operational benefits in environments where minutes and millimeters matter.
A Language of Precision, Calibrated to the Mission
We’ve learned that success in military healthcare requires more than adaptation. It demands alignment. That starts with understanding the language providers use to describe their frontline challenges and continues through collaborative iteration. RIVANNA’s engagement with DoD principal investigators, military treatment facilities, and operational medicine communities reflects that commitment.
The healthcare demands of active-duty service members and the teams who care for them deserve solutions that function under pressure. We believe Accuro 3S-MIL has a crucial role to play in that mission, and we’re working diligently to ensure our technology accurately reflects the environments it’s built to serve.
Acknowledgement
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 808 Schreider Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work was supported by The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense, in the amount of $3 million through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research
Program under Award Number HT94252510463. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed by The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense.