This narrative article explores the current and emerging challenges facing the Defence Medical Services in delivering medical care in the face of the changing nature of conflict and the arenas in which they will be conducted. It is likely that there will be a need for the delivery of prolonged field care which will require innovation and research to face the potential challenges facing military pre-hospital care providers. Clinical interventions likely to improve measurable positive patient outcomes are discussed within the context of the current Defence Medical Services research strategy, evidence-based medicine, clinical capability gaps and further research opportunities. The potential benefit of exploiting physiological monitoring technologies to improve patient care and support remote clinical decision-making is presented as a proof of concept research programme.
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