SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sutter Health has expanded deployment of FloPatch, a wearable Doppler ultrasound device, across multiple hospitals in its network to enhance personalized fluid management for patients with sepsis and other critical conditions. The move positions the California-based health system at the forefront of adopting real-time, wearable technology to improve emergency and intensive care outcomes.
Developed by Flosonics Medical, FloPatch is the first FDA-cleared, wireless Doppler ultrasound device designed to measure real-time blood flow. Worn on the neck, it enables clinicians to quickly assess how a patient’s heart and circulatory system respond to intravenous (IV) fluids, helping to avoid complications from over- or under-hydration.
The expanded deployment includes Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland and Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, adding to previous rollouts at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley and three campuses of CPMC in San Francisco. In total, six Sutter hospitals have implemented the technology across departments including the Emergency Department, ICU, Medical-Surgical Unit, and Telemetry Unit.
“In emergency care, we often treat patients with complex needs, including people with sepsis,” said Dr. John Skovran, Emergency Department medical director at Alta Bates Summit. “We need a fast, reliable way to determine whether they’ll benefit from fluids or be harmed by them. FloPatch gives us that clarity at the bedside in minutes.”
Fluid overload is a significant risk in critical care settings, particularly for sepsis patients, where nearly one-third may be unresponsive to fluids. Without accurate and timely assessments, excess fluid administration can lead to complications like pulmonary edema, longer hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs.
“Our previous method of assessing fluid responsiveness was cumbersome and time-consuming,” said Dr. Nader Emami, ICU medical director at Sutter Santa Rosa. “FloPatch streamlines the process with a simple, wearable device that empowers any member of the care team to perform this essential assessment faster and easier.”
Studies have shown that using dynamic fluid assessments like those provided by FloPatch can reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, decrease ICU stays, and lower mortality rates. The device supports non-invasive, bedside evaluation without requiring specialized equipment or staff, making it particularly useful in fast-paced clinical environments.
“Sutter Health’s multisite adoption of FloPatch reflects a growing recognition that wearable, real-time technologies play a transformative role in patient care,” said Joe Eibl, CEO and co-founder of Flosonics Medical. “It’s a great example of how forward-thinking health systems are meeting critical challenges with innovation.”
Sutter Health emphasized seamless integration of the device into clinical workflows and prioritized staff training to ensure widespread, effective use across departments.
