scholarly journals Considerations for Implementing Point-of-Care Ultrasound in a Community-Based Family Medicine Residency Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 238212051988432
Author(s):  
Megan Weemer ◽  
Matt Hutchins ◽  
Eric Beachy ◽  
Nicole McGuire

Background: Prior to implementing Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training into our Family Medicine Residency Program, we sought to determine opinions on the most relevant applications according to current Family Medicine residents and recent graduates. As there are so many POCUS applications relevant to Family Medicine, it would be efficient to teach only the most relevant scans. Objective: Examine current POCUS use and the perception of future use among current residents and recent graduates of a Family Medicine Residency Program. Methods: In 2017, an electronic survey was used to examine differences in perceptions regarding the value of POCUS applications, benefits of use, and potential barriers to implementation. Results: Of the 88 surveys sent, 21 of 21 current residents (100%) and 28 of 67 recent graduates (41.8%) completed the survey with a total completion rate of 55.7%. The POCUS practices differed between groups. Current residents were significantly more likely than recent graduates to use POCUS for vascular procedural guidance and other procedural guidance. Recent graduates were significantly more likely to report POCUS use for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening and lower extremity Doppler screening for deep vein thrombosis. All P values were significant at the .05 level. Conclusions: Point-of-Care Ultrasound training is generally desired by current residents. Some applications are perceived to be of sufficient utility by current residents and recent graduates. Findings would justify investment of time and effort required to implement POCUS training in Family Medicine Residency curriculums. Curriculum should focus on applications viewed as high priority based on usage rates.

Author(s):  
Rashmi Bhatt ◽  
Puneet Khanna

AbstractBedside point of care ultrasound has acquired an extremely significant role in diagnosis and management of neurocritical care, just as it has in other specialties. Easy availability and increasing expertise have allowed the intensivists to use it in a wide array of situations, such as confirming clinical findings as well as for interventional and prognostic purposes. At present, the clinical applications of ultrasonography (USG) in a neurosurgical patient include estimation of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), assessment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and velocities, diagnosis of intracranial mass lesion and midline shifts, and examination of pupils, apart from the systemic applications. Transcranial sonography has also found use in the diagnosis of the cerebral circulatory arrest. An increasing number of clinicians are now relying on the use of ultrasound in the neurointensive care unit for neurological as well as non-neurological indications. These uses include the diagnosis of shock, respiratory failure, deep vein thrombosis and performing bedside procedures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-361
Author(s):  
Jonathan Lee ◽  
Ami Kurzweil ◽  
Shadi Lahham

Introduction: The life- or limb-threatening differential diagnosis for upper extremity swelling can include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), infectious processes, and compartment syndrome. Chronic anatomic abnormalities such as axillary vein stenosis are rarely a consideration in the emergency department. Case Report: We present a 26-year-old female with history of Chiari type 1 malformation who presented with acute left arm swelling. Initial workup, including point-of-care ultrasound, revealed the presence of significant soft tissue swelling without evidence of DVT. Conclusion: Further workup revealed an early, localized rhabdomyolysis secondary to axillary vein stenosis or venous thoracic outlet syndrome, also known as Paget-Schroetter syndrome.


2020 ◽  
pp. 102490792094128
Author(s):  
Jonathan Chun-Hei Cheung ◽  
Chi Hung Koo ◽  
Koon Ngai Lam

A 65-year-old paraplegic patient just discharged from the medical ward 2 days ago with a negative left lower extremity Doppler study for deep vein thrombosis. He presented to the emergency department for deteriorating lower extremity swelling. Point-of-care ultrasound helped to swiftly arrive at the diagnosis and facilitate prompt management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 505-511
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. W. Hall ◽  
Harland Holman ◽  
Tyler W. Barreto ◽  
Paul Bornemann ◽  
Andrew Vaughan ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: In 2014, family medicine residency programs began to integrate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into training, although very few had an established POCUS curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate the resources, barriers, and scope of POCUS training in family medicine residencies 5 years after its inception. Methods: Questions regarding current training and use of POCUS were included in the 2019 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of family medicine residency program directors, and results compared to similar questions on the 2014 CERA survey. Results: POCUS is becoming a core component of family medicine training programs, with 53% of program directors reporting establishing or an established core curriculum. Only 11% of program directors have no current plans to add POCUS training to their program, compared to 41% in 2014. Despite this increase in training, the reported clinical use of POCUS remains uncommon. Only 27% of programs use six of the eight surveyed POCUS modalities more than once per year. The top three barriers to including POCUS in residency training in 2019 have not changed since 2014, and are (1) a lack of trained faculty, (2) limited access to equipment, and (3) discomfort with interpreting images without radiologist review. Conclusions: Training in POCUS has increased in family medicine residencies over the last 5 years, although practical use of this technology in the clinical setting may be lagging behind. Further research should explore how POCUS can improve outcomes and reduce costs in the primary care setting to better inform training for this technology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 656-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Pedraza García ◽  
Joaquín Valle Alonso ◽  
Pedro Ceballos García ◽  
Francisca Rico Rodríguez ◽  
Miguel Ángel Aguayo López ◽  
...  

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