Point-of-Care Ultrasonography, Primary Care, and Prudence
Authors: Michael Tanael
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2020)

Ideas and Opinions20 October 2020Point-of-Care Ultrasonography, Primary Care, and PrudenceMichael Tanael, MD, USAFMichael Tanael, MD, USAFMaxwell Air Force Base, Flight Medicine, Montgomery, Alabama (M.T.)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M20-1840 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Although difficult to quantify, enthusiasm for diagnostic point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) in primary care seems to be substantial and growing (1). An increasing number of articles advocate for its use in primary care, and many internal medicine and family medicine residencies have plans to create POCUS curricula (2, 3). Recent statements of support for ultrasonography in internal medicine from the American College of Physicians and the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, as well as the development of an ultrasonography curriculum by the American Academy of Family Physicians, encourage the creation of these training programs and have likely furthered the embrace of ...References1. Andersen CA, Holden S, Vela J, et al. Point-of-care ultrasound in general practice: a systematic review. Ann Fam Med. 2019;17:61-69. [PMID: 30670398] doi:10.1370/afm.2330 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Hall JW, Holman H, Bornemann P, et al. Point of care ultrasound in family medicine residency programs: a CERA study. Fam Med. 2015;47:706-11. [PMID: 26473563] MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Schnobrich DJ, Gladding S, Olson AP, et al. Point-of-care ultrasound in internal medicine: a national survey of educational leadership. J Grad Med Educ. 2013;5:498-502. [PMID: 24404317] doi:10.4300/JGME-D-12-00215.1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Steinmetz P, Oleskevich S. The benefits of doing ultrasound exams in your office. J Fam Pract. 2016;65:517-23. [PMID: 27660835] MedlineGoogle Scholar5. Recommended curriculum guidelines for family medicine residents: point of care ultrasound. American Academy of Family Physicians. 2016. Accessed at www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/medical_education_residency/program_directors/Reprint290D_POCUS.pdf on 23 May 2020. Google Scholar6. Sorensen B, Hunskaar S. Point-of-care ultrasound in primary care: a systematic review of generalist performed point-of-care ultrasound in unselected populations. Ultrasound J. 2019;11:31. [PMID: 31749019] doi:10.1186/s13089-019-0145-4 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Lichtenstein D, Goldstein I, Mourgeon E, et al. Comparative diagnostic performances of auscultation, chest radiography, and lung ultrasonography in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Anesthesiology. 2004;100:9-15. [PMID: 14695718] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Laursen CB, Sloth E, Lassen AT, et al. Point-of-care ultrasonography in patients admitted with respiratory symptoms: a single-blind, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2014;2:638-46. [PMID: 24998674] doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(14)70135-3 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Moons KG, van Es GA, Deckers JW, et al. Limitations of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, and Bayes' theorem in assessing diagnostic probabilities: a clinical example. Epidemiology. 1997;8:12-7. [PMID: 9116087] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Kimura BJ. Point-of-care cardiac ultrasound techniques in the physical examination: better at the bedside. Heart. 2017;103:987-994. [PMID: 28259843] doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2016-309915 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Maxwell Air Force Base, Flight Medicine, Montgomery, Alabama (M.T.)Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or U.S. government.Disclosures: The author has disclosed no conflicts of interest. The form can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M20-1840.Corresponding Author: Michael Tanael, MD, USAF, Maxwell Air Force Base, Flight Medicine, 300 South Twining Street #760, Montgomery, AL 36112; e-mail, [email protected]com.Author Contributions: Conception and design: M. Tanael.Analysis and interpretation of the data: M. Tanael.Drafting of the article: M. Tanael.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: M. Tanael.Final approval of the article: M. Tanael.Administrative, technical, or logistic support: M. Tanael.Collection and assembly of data: M. Tanael.This article was published at Annals.org on 21 July 2020. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byUltrasound assessment of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: a literature review for the primary care physicianThe Benefits and Barriers of Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Primary Healthcare in the United StatesPoint-of-care ultrasound 20 October 2020Volume 173, Issue 8Page: 650-651KeywordsAcademic medicineCurrent procedural terminologyEmergency departmentForecastingOutpatientsPatientsResidencySystematic reviewsThoraxUltrasound imaging ePublished: 21 July 2020 Issue Published: 20 October 2020 PDF downloadLoading ...