Lung Ultrasound Implementation in the Management of Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19
Condition: Covid19
MeSH terms: COVID-19
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Lung ultrasound (LUS) has also been shown to be more accurate than chest x-ray in identifying
      pulmonary consolidation and pulmonary edema, both of which are found in patients with COVID.

      The investigators hypothesize implementation of LUS by hospitalists in the management of
      suspected or diagnosed patients with COVID-19 will reduce the need for Chest CT and chest
      x-ray, thereby conserving PPE, reducing risk of transmission to technicians and conserving
      the resources of radiology services that would otherwise be overwhelmed by patients with
      COVID-19 in need of chest imaging. Using the methods of implementation science, the
      investigators propose to respond to the urgent need for rapid implementation of LUS by
      hospitalists in management of adult patients hospitalized for COVID.

      Aim 1a: Using a rapid-cycle weekly Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle and Rapid Iterative RE-AIM, to
      optimize the implementation of LUS by adult hospitalists in the management of COVID-19
      patients in a pilot study

      Aim 1b: Evaluate this pilot implementation of LUS by adult hospitalists using the Reach,
      Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.
    

Detailed description: 
      Study overview:. The investigators will begin LUS implementation using strategies that target
      barriers already identified by hospitalists in prior qualitative work. The investigators will
      then proceed to conduct weekly rapid Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles informed by Rapid Iterative
      RE-AIM, in order to ensure timely identification of implementation barriers. Rapid Iterative
      RE- AIM is an innovative application of the RE-AIM framework in which screening assessments
      of RE-AIM outcomes (e.g. level of reach, adoption, implementation) which is performed at
      regular intervals during implementation and has been shown to be a feasible means of
      assessing interval implementation. For outcomes not meeting target implementation at our
      interval assessments, we will perform rapid qualitative interviews of key stakeholders to
      identify current barriers. Using the contextual domains of PRISM and rapid qualitative data
      from stakeholders we will select new or adapt existing implementation strategies,
      facilitating robust implementation. Study outcomes will be measured using the RE-AIM outcomes
      from PRISM including Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance.

      Study Setting: University of Colorado Hospital is a 620 beds academic tertiary care center in
      Denver, Colorado.

      Participant Recruitment: Hospitalist participants will be recruited from among the faculty of
      University of Colorado Hospital Division of hospital medicine which has over 100 physician
      and advanced practice clinicians (APPs).

      Study Procedures:

      All hospitalist physicians and APPs will be offered training in LUS. The training module to
      be used has been shown to be effective at training providers to competency. The investigators
      will evaluate acceptability and feasibility of the training module using rapid qualitative
      techniques and questionnaires of both completers and non-completers. Once a provider has
      completed training, she may begin performing LUS on COVID patients. The images will be
      wirelessly uploaded into PACS. The provider's LUS interpretation will be documented in the
      EMR. Rapid Iterative RE-AIM will be performed on a weekly basis as a means of iteratively
      screening for implementation barriers. The implementation outcomes of both fidelity and
      adaptation will be prioritized although all aspects of implementation will be evaluated.
      Interval Reach will be screened for using EMR data. For RE-AIM domains with poor
      implementation, the investigators will use rapid qualitative methods to obtain stakeholder
      perspectives of barriers and suggestions for adaptations to existing strategies or new
      strategies.

      Measures/Data Collection Study Outcomes:

      Reach: The investigators will measure the percentage of patients hospitalized with a positive
      COVID test result who received a LUS during the hospitalization. The investigators will
      compare the demographics and characteristics of the eligible patients who received a LUS
      versus those that did not in order to identify disparities in implementation that can be
      addressed by adapting our implementation strategies. The investigators will explore the
      underlying reasons for disparities in Reach using rapid qualitative interviews of providers
      and other stakeholders as appropriate.

      Effectiveness: Using a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design, the investigators
      will compare the number of chest x-rays and CTs performed, PPE use and inpatient mortality in
      patient hospitalized with COVID before implementation of LUS versus after.

      Adoption:

      Adoption by clinicians will be measured by calculating the percentage of clinicians who
      completed the LUS training module within the UCH hospitalist group. The investigators will
      also measure the percentage of clinicians who performed at least 1 LUS exam. The
      investigators will evaluate for differences between providers who did and did not complete
      training. The investigators will interview hospitalists who did not complete training or did
      not perform LUS to understand why LUS was not adopted.

      Implementation:

      The investigators will focus on collecting implementation outcomes that are particularly
      relevant to the evaluation of diagnostic tests. Fidelity will be measured using data
      available through the EMR and through qualitative interviews of providers regarding their
      clinical decision-making. EMR data will be gathered by random selection of at least 10% of
      LUS exams within the EMR over the prior 30 days using the following 3 components to evaluate
      fidelity. 1. Image quality: Through the EMR, the investigators will assess whether image
      acquisition was adequate using a checklist of image requirements. 2. Image interpretation:
      the investigators will review interpretation of POCUS by assessing ultrasound reports in the
      EMR using a checklist 3. Clinical Decision-making using the LUS result: Assess appropriate
      integration of POCUS findings into the clinical decision-making by review of the LUS report
      in the EMR and daily clinician progress notes well as through qualitative interviews of
      providers.

      Feasibility/Acceptability:

      The investigators will measure feasibility and acceptability of the 1) LUS training module 2)
      use of LUS for evaluation of patients with COVID using a questionnaire as well as rapid
      qualitative interviews of hospitalists and other stakeholders
    

Intervention name(s): Lung ultrasound use in patients hospitalized with COVID
Intervention type(s): Diagnostic Test
Intervention description(s): Hospitalists will be taught to use lung ultrasound in the management of their patients with COVID
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research
Keywords: COVID-19; lung ultrasound