Resident training in emergency ultrasound: consensus recommendations from the 2008 Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors Conference

From novice to proficient: a longitudinal study of POCUS skill development through a hybrid certification program in the United Arab Emirates

BACKGROUND

Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool in a wide range of medical specialties. To ensure that practicing physicians are fully equipped with the skills required, there is a need to expand comprehensive training opportunities, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a novel year-long hybrid POCUS certification program aimed at enhancing the confidence and competency of practicing physicians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 12 practicing physicians enrolled in a one-year, part-time hybrid POCUS program. The program consisted of six modules that integrated online educational units, in-person workshops, and supervised clinical practice. Eligibility criteria for the program required participants to be licensed physicians with access to an ultrasound machine that had image storage capabilities within their healthcare setting. Participants' confidence was assessed through self-reported surveys at four evaluation points. Competency was evaluated using the Ultrasound Competency Assessment Tool (UCAT) at three evaluation points, while ultrasound image quality was assessed throughout the program. Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze changes in confidence and competency over time. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship between confidence and competency scores.

RESULTS

Participants demonstrated significant improvements in both confidence and competency. Mean total confidence scores increased from 64.0 (SD = 9.9) pre-program to 81.3 (SD = 6.7) post-program (p < 0.001). The UCAT scores improved from 64.9 (SD = 13.5) in module two to 78.9 (SD = 3.6) in module six (p < 0.001). The UCAT scores for cardiac and lung applications showed the most consistent improvement, while the scores for first trimester ultrasound demonstrated the least improvement. Ultrasound image quality scores demonstrated a positive trend over time with a clear learning trajectory marked by three distinct phases. There was a significant association between ultrasound image quality scores and the number of completed ultrasound scan assignments (p < 0.001) for all applications except for first trimester ultrasound, indicating the need for curriculum enhancement in this area. A moderate positive correlation was observed between post-module four confidence scores and module six competence scores (r = 0.585, p = 0.059), however, this correlation was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive hybrid POCUS program effectively enhanced confidence and competency among practicing physicians. The structured approach, which integrates theoretical knowledge, hands-on practice, and ongoing longitudinal feedback, presents a promising model for POCUS education. These findings inform the development of similar programs, potentially improving POCUS adoption and patient care globally.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

[State of the art: Simulation in US]

Technical simulation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is of growing relevance for student education and advanced medical training and has already been introduced in the field of ultrasound. This review gives a broad overview on different levels of simulation for ultrasound diagnostics and highlights the technical background of the methodology. A critical review of the literature reveals recommendations for implementing simulation techniques in medical studies and professional ultrasound training. An analysis of strengths and weaknesses shows the advantages of simulation especially in the context of individual learning situations and COVID-19-related restrictions for personal interaction. However, simulation techniques cannot replace the experiences of complex clinical examinations with direct interaction to real patients. Therefore, future applications may focus on repetition and assessment of achieved competencies by using standardized feedback mechanisms in order to preserve the limited resources for practical medical training.

Identifying commonalities in definition and governance of point-of-care ultrasound within statements from medical organizations in the United States: A scoping review for a shared understanding

This scoping review analyzed statements from 22 medical organizations in the United States to identify commonalities in the definition and governance of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). A total of 41 statements were included. The review found that the most commonly used elements in defining POCUS were "focused," "bedside," and "patient care." In terms of governance, consistent requirements included specific training programs, documentation in medical records, continuous quality assurance, and standards for credentialing and privileging. These findings suggest the existence of essential commonalities that could facilitate communication and the development of standardized POCUS programs in the future.

Automated detection and localization of pericardial effusion from point-of-care cardiac ultrasound examination

Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) exam is the standard of care for pericardial and abdominal free fluid detection in emergency medicine. Despite its life saving potential, FAST is underutilized due to requiring clinicians with appropriate training and practice. To aid ultrasound interpretation, the role of artificial intelligence has been studied, while leaving room for improvement in localization information and computation time. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a deep learning approach to rapidly and accurately identify both the presence and location of pericardial effusion on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) exams. Each cardiac POCUS exam is analyzed image-by-image via the state-of-the-art YoloV3 algorithm and pericardial effusion presence is determined from the most confident detection. We evaluate our approach over a dataset of POCUS exams (cardiac component of FAST and ultrasound), comprising 37 cases with pericardial effusion and 39 negative controls. Our algorithm attains 92% specificity and 89% sensitivity in pericardial effusion identification, outperforming existing deep learning approaches, and localizes pericardial effusion by 51% Intersection Over Union with ground-truth annotations. Moreover, image processing demonstrates only 57 ms latency. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of rapid and accurate pericardial effusion detection from POCUS exams for physician overread.

Introduction to Point-of-Care Ultrasonography

Medical ultrasonography was first used as a diagnostic tool in 1942 by Theodore Karl Dussik to visualize brain structures. Use of ultrasonography broadened to the field of obstetrics in the 1950s and has since expanded to many other medical special-ties owing to ease of use, reproducibility, low cost, and lack of radiation. Advancements in ultrasonography technology have allowed clinicians to perform procedures with greater accuracy and to characterize tissue better than ever before. Piezoelectric crystals used to produce ultrasound waves have been replaced by silicon chips; artificial intelligence can be used to mitigate user variability; and more portable ultrasound probes are available for use with mobile devices. Ultrasonography requires training to be used appropriately, and patient and family education are crucial when performing an examination. Although some data are available regarding the amount of training needed for users to reach proficiency, this topic remains controversial and no standard currently exists.

Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Utilization and Barriers by Senior Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Residents at Two Teaching Referral Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background. POCUS has become an integral part of the practice of emergency medicine. POCUS is a highly focused, limited, goal-directed exam with the expressed purpose of answering selected questions used at the bedside for critically ill patients who are not stable. We aimed to assess POCUS utilization and barriers by senior-year emergency medicine and critical care residents at two tertiary academic and referral hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1 to August 30, 2022 in St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital using an electronic survey of senior-year (second and third years) emergency medicine and critical care residents. Data were collected using Goggle form, exported to SPSS version 24, and then analyzed. Result. Seventy-six residents out of 78 (97.4%) responded to the online survey. The mean age was 29.9 years with an SD of 2.87. Fifty-six residents (73.7%) were male and 45 (59.2%) were year 2 residents. Sixty-one (76.3%) had previous POCUS training. Fifty residents (82.0%) received training from the classroom. Twenty-seven residents (35.5%) rated their current level of knowledge as good for sterile transducer techniques, 28 (36.8%) rated fair for their knobology, and 27 (35.5%) rated very good for their transducer selection knowledge. Thirty-two (42.1%) rated very good about their ability to interpret IVC. 26 (34.2%) responded that they had good ability to interpret FAST/EFAST. Forty-nine (64.5%) residents claimed lack of an ultrasound machine followed by 33 (43.4%) lack of organized curriculum were the main barriers to POCUS utilization. Forty-two (55.3%) residents preferred to complete face-to-face teaching, while 33 (43.4%) preferred blended learning both face-to-face and online. Conclusion. POCUS is performed by the majority of EMCC residents. The most frequent scans performed by residents were FAST, IVC, and lung scans. Lack of ultrasound machine and organized curriculum was the main barrier to US utilization. Availability of equipment, face-to-face training, and having an organized curriculum are recommended by residents to improve their skills in the future.

Development and Validation of a Point-of-Care-Ultrasound Image Quality Assessment Tool: The POCUS IQ Scale

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to develop a standardized scoring tool to measure point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) image quality and to determine validity evidence for its use to assess lung ultrasound image quality.

METHODS

The POCUS Image Quality (POCUS IQ) scale was developed by POCUS-trained physicians to assess sonographers' image acquisition skills by evaluating image quality for any POCUS application. The scale was piloted using lung images of healthy standardized patients acquired by three expert sonographers compared to three novices before and after training. All images (experts, novices pre-training, novices post-training) were scored on the POCUS IQ scale by three blinded POCUS-trained physicians. Reliability was assessed with fully-crossed generalizability and decision studies. Validity was assessed using Messick's framework.

RESULTS

Content validity was supported by the tool's development process of literature review, expert consensus, and pilot testing. Response process was supported by reviewer training and the blinded scoring process. Relation to other variables was supported by scores relating to sonographer experience: median expert score = 10.5/14 (IQR: 4), median novice pre-training score = 6/14 (IQR: 2.25), and novices' improvement after training (median post-training score = 12/14, IQR: 3.25). Internal structure was supported by internal consistency data (coefficient alpha = 0.84, omega coefficient = 0.91) and the generalizability study showing the main contributor to score variability was the sonographer (51%). The G-coefficient was 0.89, suggesting very good internal structure, however, Gwet's AC₂  was 0.5, indicating moderate interrater reliability. The D study projected a minimum of 1 reviewer and 2 patients are needed for good psychometric reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

The POCUS scale has good preliminary validity evidence as an assessment tool for lung POCUS image acquisition skills. Further studies are needed to demonstrate its utility for other POCUS applications and as a feedback tool for POCUS learners.

A consensus list of ultrasound competencies for graduating emergency medicine residents

Objectives

Emergency ultrasound (EUS) is a critical component of emergency medicine (EM) resident education. Currently, there is no consensus list of competencies for EUS training, and graduating residents have varying levels of skill and comfort. The objective of this study was to define a widely accepted comprehensive list of EUS competencies for graduating EM residents through a modified Delphi method.

Methods

We developed a list of EUS applications through a comprehensive literature search, the American College of Emergency Physicians list of core EUS benchmarks, and the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency-Academy of Emergency Ultrasound consensus document. We assembled a multi-institutional expert panel including 15 faculty members from diverse practice environments and geographical regions. The panel voted on the list of competencies through two rounds of a modified Delphi process using a modified Likert scale (1 = not at all important, 5 = very important) to determine levels of agreement for each application-with revisions occurring between the two rounds. High agreement for consensus was set at >80%.

Results

Fifteen of 15 panelists completed the first-round survey (100%) that included 359 topics related to EUS. After the first round, 195 applications achieved high agreement, four applications achieved medium agreement, and 164 applications achieved low agreement. After the discussion, we removed three questions and added 13 questions. Fifteen of 15 panelists completed the second round of the survey (100%) with 209 of the 369 applications achieving consensus.

Conclusion

Our final list represents expert opinion on EUS competencies for graduating EM residents. We hope to use this consensus list to implement a more consistent EUS curriculum for graduating EM residents and to standardize EUS training across EM residency programs.

National Delphi Survey on Anesthesiology Resident Training in Perioperative Ultrasound

OBJECTIVE

To establish agreement among nationwide experts through a Delphi process on the key components of perioperative ultrasound and the recommended minimum number of examinations that should be performed by a resident upon graduation.

DESIGN

A prospective cross-sectional study.

SETTING

A survey on multiinstitutional academic medical centers.

PARTICIPANTS

Anesthesiology residency program directors and/or experts in perioperative ultrasound.

INTERVENTIONS

A list of components and examinations recommended for anesthesiology resident training in perioperative ultrasound was developed based on guidelines and 2 survey rounds among a steering committee of 10 experts. A questionnaire asking for a rating of each component on a 5-point Likert scale subsequently was sent to an expert panel of 120 anesthesiology residency program directors across the United States. An agreement of at least 70% of participants, rating a component as 4 or 5, was compulsory to list a component as essential for anesthesiology resident training in perioperative ultrasound.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The nationwide survey's response rate was 62.5%, and agreement was reached after 2 Delphi rounds. The final list included 44 essential components for basic ultrasound physics and knobology, cardiac ultrasound, lung ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided vascular access. Agreement was not reached for abdominal ultrasound, gastric ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided airway assessment. Agreement for the recommended minimum number of examinations that should be performed by a resident upon graduation included 50 each for transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, and 20 each for lung ultrasound, ultrasound-guided central line, and ultrasound-guided arterial line placements.

CONCLUSIONS

The recommendations outlined in this survey can be used to establish standardized training for perioperative ultrasound by anesthesiology residency programs.

Diagnosis of Internal Jugular Vein Septic Thrombophlebitis by Point-of-Care Ultrasound

ABSTRACT

Septic thrombophlebitis represents a rare but serious collection of diseases, which carry a high risk of morbidity and mortality requiring prompt and aggressive treatment. Diagnosis centers on identification of thrombus along with clinical and microbiologic data. We present a case where point-of-care ultrasound was used to diagnose septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and expedite appropriate therapy. We further review the technique and literature for ultrasound diagnosis of venous thrombosis and associated thrombophlebitis.

Definitive Advantages of Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Case Series

•We describe 4 cases where POCUS changed or aided in diagnosis. •POCUS often provides useful information in patients in shock. •Serial POCUS can assess changes over time in the ICU.

Assessment Methods in Medical Ultrasound Education

Medical schools are increasingly incorporating ultrasound into undergraduate medical education. The global integration of ultrasound into teaching curricula and physical examination necessitates a strict evaluation of the technology's benefit and the reporting of results. Course structures and assessment instruments vary and there are no national or worldwide standards yet. This systematic literature review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the various formats for assessing ultrasound skills. The key questions were framed in the PICO format (Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome). A review of literature using Embase, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar was performed up to May 2021, while keywords were predetermined by the authors. Inclusion criteria were as follows: prospective as well as retrospective studies, observational or intervention studies, and studies outlining how medical students learn ultrasound. In this study, 101 articles from the literature search matched the inclusion criteria and were investigated. The most frequently used methods were objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), multiple choice questions, and self-assessments via questionnaires while frequently more than one assessment method was applied. Determining which assessment method or combination is ideal to measure ultrasound competency remains a difficult task for the future, as does the development of an equitable education approach leading to reduced heterogeneity in curriculum design and students attaining equivalent skills.

Success of implementation of a systemwide point-of-care ultrasound privileging program for emergency medicine faculty

OBJECTIVES

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely used in the emergency department (ED). Not all practicing emergency physicians received POCUS training during residency, leaving a training gap that is reflected in POCUS privileging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of meeting privileging criteria as well as associated factors, following implementation of a basic POCUS training and privileging program within a large emergency medicine department.

METHODS

We implemented a POCUS training and privileging program, based on national guidelines, for faculty physicians who worked at one of the following EDs staffed by the same emergency medicine department: a pediatric tertiary site, two tertiary academic sites, and seven community sites. POCUS examinations included aorta, cardiac, first-trimester obstetrics (OB), and extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma. Pediatric emergency medicine faculty were taught soft tissue and thoracic US instead of aorta and OB. Completion of the program required 16 h of didactics, ≥25 quality-assured US examinations by examination type, and passing a series of knowledge-based examinations. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Associations between physician characteristics and successfully becoming privileged in POCUS were modeled using Firth's logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 176 faculty physicians were eligible. A total of 145 (82.4%) achieved basic POCUS privileging during the study period. Different pathways were used including 86 (48.9%) practice-based, nine (5.1%) fellowship-based, and 82 (46.9%) residency-based. POCUS privileging was lower for those working in a community versus academic setting (odds ratio 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.1-0.9). A greater number of scans completed prior to the privileging program was associated with greater success.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of a POCUS training and privileging program can be successful in a large emergency medicine department that staffs hospitals in a large-scale health care system composed of both academic and community sites. Faculty physicians with at least some prior exposure to POCUS were more successful.

Mapping Trends and Hotspots Regarding the Use of Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research

Objective: Diagnostic tools in emergency medicine have been widely studied. As a non-invasive and quick tool, ultrasound plays a role in the field of emergency medicine. Thus, it is significant to understand the global scientific output of this topic. An analysis of publications on the use of ultrasound in emergency medicine over the past decade was performed and summarized to track the current hotspots and highlight future directions.

Methods: Globally relevant publications on ultrasound in emergency medicine from 2009 to 2020 were extracted from the Web of Science collection database. VOSviewer software and CiteSpace were employed to visualize and predict the trends in the research on the topic.

Results: The overall volume of global publications is on the rise; furthermore, the United States published the most publications in this field and had the most citations and H-index. University of California at San Francisco in the United States has most publications in terms of institutions. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine published the most papers related to ultrasound in emergency medicine in terms of journals. Pulmonary embolism was once the main research direction, and importantly, “point-of-care ultrasound” was determined to be a new research hotspot.

Conclusion: Altogether, the number of publications on ultrasound in emergency medicine will rise in the future. In addition, the findings reported here shed new light on the major progress on ultrasound in emergency medicine, which may be mutually cooperative in various fields. Moreover, this bibliometric study provides further indications for the topic of “point-of-care ultrasound”.

Pulmonary thromboembolism with transthoracic ultrasound and computed tomography angiography

OBJECTIVE

The detection of pulmonary embolism in emergency department requires an urgent therapeutic and diagnostic attention. This study was performed to determine the accuracy and efficacy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

METHODS

In this study, 110 patients who referred to the emergency department with traumatic embolism symptoms were enrolled. All the patients underwent computed tomography (CT) angiography. Patients were divided into positive and negative outcomes according to the results of transthoracic ultrasonography and CT angiography.

RESULTS

In this study, 110 patients were enrolled, of whom 52 (47.3%) were male and 58 (52.7%) were female. Among the patients, 100 (90.9%) patients presented with dyspnea, whereas the frequency of pleural pain was 27% (24.5%). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for ultrasound were 45.67%, 77.41%, 88.09%, and 35.29%, respectively. The positive outcomes from CT scan were significantly associated with gender, p = 0.005. The gender and transthoracic ultrasonography outcomes were also significantly correlated, p = 0.019, and the outcomes of ultrasound were significantly different from those of CT scan, p = 0.008.

CONCLUSION

Transthoracic ultrasonography may be used to diagnose pulmonary embolism as a technique in the emergency department, especially in patients who are unable to move due to the severity of the disease. However, further comparative studies are required in this aspect.

A randomized controlled trial of simulation-based mastery learning to teach the extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma

BACKGROUND

Mastery learning has gained popularity for training residents in procedural skills due to its demonstrated superiority over traditional methods. However, no studies have compared the efficacy of traditional versus mastery learning methods in residency point-of-care ultrasound education. We hypothesized that mastery learning would improve residents' skills in performing the extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST).

METHODS

All first-year emergency medicine (EM) resident physicians at a single university hospital underwent a crossover randomized controlled trial to receive mastery-learning eFAST training either at the beginning of the academic year or 6 months into intern year. Participants were taught using a checklist validated by a panel of experts using Mastery Angoff methods and were given feedback on missed tasks until each trainee completed the eFAST with a minimum passing standard (MPS). Our primary outcome was technical proficiency between the two groups for eFAST examinations performed in the emergency department during the academic year.

RESULTS

Sixteen interns were enrolled; eight were randomized to each group. The group that received mastery training at the beginning of the year had mean clinical eFAST proficiency scores above the MPS in the first two quarters of the academic year, while the control group did not. Once the control group underwent eFAST mastery training at the midpoint of the year, both groups had mean proficiency scores above the MPS for the remainder of the year.

CONCLUSION

Simulation-based mastery learning is an effective method of teaching the eFAST examination. This training during intern orientation conferred early proficiency in clinical performance of eFAST among EM residents. This difference in proficiency was no longer present after the control group received mastery learning education halfway through the academic year.

Multi-Level Stakeholder Perspectives on Determinants of Point of Care Ultrasound Implementation in a US Academic Medical Center

There is growing interest from multiple specialties, including internal medicine, to incorporate diagnostic point of care ultrasound (POCUS) into standard clinical care. However, few internists currently use POCUS. The objective of this study was to understand the current determinants of POCUS adoption at both the health system and clinician level at a U.S. academic medical center from the perspective of multi-level stakeholders. We performed semi-structured interviews of multi-level stakeholders including hospitalists, subspecialists, and hospital leaders at an academic medical center in the U.S. Questions regarding the determinants of POCUS adoption were asked of study participants. Using the framework method, team-based analysis of interview transcripts were guided by the contextual domains of the Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM). Thirty-one stakeholders with diverse roles in POCUS adoption were interviewed. Analysis of interviews revealed three overarching themes that stakeholders considered important to adoption by clinicians and health systems: clinical impact, efficiency and cost. Subthemes included two that were deemed essential to high-fidelity implementation: the development of credentialing policies and robust quality assurance processes. These findings identify potential determinants of system and clinician level adoption that may be leveraged to achieve high-fidelity implementation of POCUS applications that result in improved patient outcomes.

A retrospective evaluation of point of care ultrasound for acute cholecystitis in a tertiary academic hospital setting

BACKGROUND

In 2008 the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors delineated consensus recommendations for training in biliary ultrasound for the "detection of biliary pathology".

OBJECTIVES

While studies have looked at the accuracy of emergency provider performed clinical ultrasound (ECUS), we sought to evaluated if ECUS could be diagnostic for acute cholecystitis and thus obviate the need for follow-up imaging.

METHOD

We reviewed all ECUS performed between 2012 and 2017 that had a matching radiology performed ultrasound (RADUS) and a discharge diagnosis. 332 studies were identified. The sensitivity and specificity of both ECUS and RADUS were compared to the patient's discharge diagnosis. The agreement between the ECUS and RADUS was assessed using an unweighted Cohen's Kappa. The time from patient arrival to diagnosis by ECUS and RADUS was also compared.

RESULTS

Using discharge diagnosis as the gold standard ECUS was 67% (56-78%) sensitive, 88% (84-92%) specific, NPV 90% (87-95%), PPV 60% (50-71%), +LR 5.6 (3.9-8.2), -LR 0.37 (0.27-0.52) for acute cholecystitis. RADUS was 76% (66-87%) sensitive, 97% (95-99%) specific, NPV 95% (092-97%), PPV 86% (76-95%), +LR 25.6 (12.8-51.4), and -LR 0.24 (0.15-0.38). ECUS was able to detect gallstones with 93% (89-96%) sensitivity and 94% (90-98%) specificity leading to a NPV 90% (85-95%), PPV of 95% (92-98%), +LR 14.5 (7.7-27.4), -LR 0.08 (0.05-0.13). The unweighted kappa between ECUS and RADUS was 0.57. The median time between obtaining ECUS vs. RADUS diagnosis was 124 min.

CONCLUSIONS

ECUS can be beneficial in ruling out acute cholecystitis, but lacks the test characteristics to be diagnostic for acute cholecystitis.

Teaching emergency ultrasound to emergency medicine residents: a scoping review of structured training methods

BACKGROUND

Over the past 2 decades, emergency ultrasound has become essential to patient care, and is a mandated competency for emergency medicine residency graduation. However, the best evidence regarding emergency ultrasound education in residency training is not known. We performed a scoping review to determine the (1) characteristics and (2) outcomes of published structured training methods, (3) the quality of publications, and (4) the implications for research and training.

METHODS

We searched broadly on multiple electronic databases and screened studies from the United States and Canada describing structured emergency ultrasound training methods for emergency medicine residents. We evaluated methodological quality with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI), and qualitatively summarized study and intervention characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 109 studies were selected from 6712 identified publications. Publications mainly reported 1 group pretest-posttest interventions (38%) conducted at a single institution (83%), training in image acquisition (82%) and interpretation (94%) domains with assessment of knowledge (44%) and skill (77%) outcomes, and training in cardiac (18%) or vascular access (15%) applications. Innovative strategies, such as gamification, cadaver models, and hand motion assessment are described. The MERSQI scores of 48 articles ranged from 0 to 15.5 (median, 11.5; interquartile range, 9.6-13.0) out of 18. Low scores reflected the absence of reported valid assessment tools (73%) and higher level outcomes (90%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although innovative strategies are illustrated, the overall quality of research could be improved. The use of standardized planning and assessment tools, intentionally mapped to targeted domains and outcomes, might provide valuable formative and summative information to optimize emergency ultrasound research and training.

Team-Based Ultrasound Objective Structured Practice Examination (OSPE) in the Anatomy Course

The clinical use of ultrasound has dramatically increased, necessitating early ultrasound education and the development of new tools in ultrasound training and assessment. The goal of this study was to devise a novel low-resource examination that tested the anatomical knowledge and technical skill of early undergraduate medical students in a gross anatomy course. The team-based ultrasound objective structured practice examination (OSPE) was created as a method for assessing practical ultrasound competencies, anatomical knowledge, and non-technical skills such as teamwork and professionalism. The examination utilized a rotation of students through four team roles as they scanned different areas of the body. This station-based examination required four models and four instructors, and tested ultrasound skills in the heart, abdominal vessels, abdominal organs, and neck regions. A Likert scale survey assessed student attitudes toward the examination. Survey data from participants (n = 46) were examined along with OSPE examination grades (n = 52). Mean and standard deviations were calculated for examination items and survey responses. Student grades were high in both technical (96.5%). and professional (96.5%) competencies with structure identification scoring the lowest (93.8%). There were no statistical differences between performances in each of the body regions being scanned. The survey showed that students deemed the examination to be fair and effective. In addition, students agreed that the examination motivated them to practice ultrasound. The team-based OSPE was found to be an efficient and student-favored method for evaluating integrated ultrasound competencies, anatomical knowledge, team-work, and professional attributes.

Preclinical Proficiency-Based Model of Ultrasound Training

BACKGROUND

Graduate medical education is being transformed from a time-based training model to a competency-based training model. While the application of ultrasound in the perioperative arena has become an expected skill set for anesthesiologists, clinical exposure during training is intermittent and nongraduated without a structured program. We developed a formal structured perioperative ultrasound program to efficiently train first-year clinical anesthesia (CA-1) residents and evaluated its effectiveness quantitatively in the form of a proficiency index.

METHODS

In this prospective study, a multimodal perioperative ultrasound training program spread over 3 months was designed by experts at an accredited anesthesiology residency program to train the CA-1 residents. The training model was based on self-learning through web-based modules and instructor-based learning by performing perioperative ultrasound techniques on simulators and live models. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by comparing the CA-1 residents who completed the training to graduating third-year clinical anesthesia (CA-3) residents who underwent the traditional ultrasound training in the residency program using a designed index called a "proficiency index." The proficiency index was composed of scores on a cognitive knowledge test (20%) and scores on an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to evaluate the workflow understanding (40%) and psychomotor skills (40%).

RESULTS

Sixteen CA-1 residents successfully completed the perioperative ultrasound training program and the subsequent evaluation with the proficiency index. The total duration of training was 60 hours of self-based learning and instructor-based learning. There was a significant improvement observed in the cognitive knowledge test scores for the CA-1 residents after the training program (pretest: 71% [0.141 ± 0.019]; posttest: 83% [0.165 ± 0.041]; P < .001). At the end of the program, the CA-1 residents achieved an average proficiency index that was not significantly different from the average proficiency index of graduating CA-3 residents who underwent traditional ultrasound training (CA-1: 0.803 ± 0.049; CA-3: 0.823 ± 0.063, P = .307).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the implementation of a formal, structured curriculum allows CA-1 residents to achieve a level of proficiency in perioperative ultrasound applications before clinical exposure.

A Virtual Point-of-care Ultrasound Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person educational activities for emergency medicine (EM) residents were suspended. As a result, we developed a virtual point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) course for incoming EM interns consisting of online didactics and faculty-proctored hands-on scan sessions utilizing a video conferencing platform and a handheld smartphone-compatible ultrasound transducer. Learners found the course to be effective in improving their POCUS knowledge and scanning skills. Feedback obtained from this course will allow us to improve future virtual courses.

Application of PBL Mode in a Resident-Focused Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography Training Program: A Perspective of MOOC Environment

BACKGROUND

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) is a new teaching technology based on a network platform, which can provide more students with the possibility of systematic and repeated learning. Due to the complexity of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), the wide range of knowledge involved, and many knowledge points being difficult to understand, it is difficult to meet the teaching needs of this content with the traditional teaching mode. This study aimed to discuss the application of lecture based learning (LBL) and problem based learning (PBL) in the training of perioperative TEE in the context of MOOCs.

METHODS

Sixty residents were randomly divided into two groups to participate in a 5-day perioperative TEE training program. The web-based PBL mode was used in the observation group and the LBL mode was used in the control group, with 30 residents in each group. The teaching effect of the web-based PBL mode was compared with the LBL mode by basic theory test, practice examination, image interpretation and questionnaire.

RESULTS

The image interpretation score and the total test score were higher in the observation group than in the control group with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). The results of the questionnaire show that the residents were more satisfied with the web-based PBL mode than the LBL mode (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The web-based PBL method has obvious advantages over the LBL mode in the training of perioperative TEE.

Effect of Machine Settings on Ultrasound Assessment of B-lines

OBJECTIVES

B-lines are a lung ultrasound (LUS) artifact that often indicate pathology. Little is known about the optimal ultrasound machine settings to assess B-lines. We compared settings typically used to evaluate B-lines at our institution with adjusted settings based on recent studies.

METHODS

In order to determine typical settings for B-line assessment, we retrospectively reviewed LUS images obtained at our institution. We then prospectively performed LUS with both typical and adjusted settings, using curvilinear and phased array probes, in 20 patients presenting to the emergency department with shortness of breath. The prospectively obtained clips were rated for quality and quantity of B-lines by 14 clinicians with experience in LUS, with 1 assigned for typical settings "much greater," 2 for typical settings "slightly greater," 3 for both settings "similar," 4 for adjusted settings "slightly greater," and 5 for adjusted settings "much greater."

RESULTS

Mean ratings and 95% confidence intervals significantly exceeded the null value of 3 for both B line quality (curvilinear probe: 4.68, 4.50-4.85; phased array probe: 4.02, 3.70-4.35) and B line quantity (curvilinear probe: 4.16, 3.84-4.49; phased array probe: 3.68, 3.41-3.96).

CONCLUSIONS

B-line quality and quantity were rated higher using adjusted settings based on recently published evidence than when using settings that are typically employed in our institution. Our findings suggest that B-line assessment should be performed with focal zone at the level of the pleura, harmonics off, and gain increased in the far field.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction Correlates With Mortality in Pulmonary Embolism

BACKGROUND

Risk stratification of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) is essential to guide advanced interventional management and proper disposition.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we sought to assess individual echocardiographic markers of right ventricular (RV) strain and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with high-risk PE and identify their association with the need for advanced intervention (such as thrombolysis) and 30-day mortality.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of ED patients with PE who were subject to a pulmonary embolism response team activation over a 5-year period. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound studies were performed as part of patient care and later assessed for septal bowing, RV hypokinesis, McConnell sign, RV enlargement, tricuspid annular place systolic excursion, and LV systolic dysfunction. Outcome variables included need for advanced intervention and 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

The pulmonary embolism response team was activated in 893 patients, of which 718 had a confirmed PE. Of these, 90 had adequate cardiac point-of-care ultrasound images available for review. Patients who needed an advanced intervention were more likely to have septal bowing (odds ratio [OR] 8.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.37-31.86), RV enlargement (OR 4.02, 95% CI 1.43-11.34), and a McConnell sign (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.09-7.13). LV dysfunction was the only statistically significant predictor of 30-day mortality (OR 9.63, 95% CI 1.74-53.32).

CONCLUSION

In patients with PE in the ED, sonographic findings of RV strain that are more commonly associated with advanced intervention included septal bowing, McConnell sign, and RV enlargement. LV dysfunction was associated with a higher 30-day mortality. These findings can help inform decisions about ED management and disposition of patients with PE.

A call for collaboration and consensus on training for endotracheal intubation in the medical intensive care unit

Endotracheal intubation (EI) is a potentially lifesaving but high-risk procedure in critically ill patients. While the ACGME mandates that trainees in pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) achieve competence in this procedure, there is wide variation in EI training across the USA. One study suggests that 40% of the US PCCM trainees feel they would not be proficient in EI upon graduation. This article presents a review of the EI training literature; the recommendations of a national group of PCCM, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and pediatric experts; and a call for further research, collaboration, and consensus guidelines.

Development and implementation of competency-based assessment for urological ultrasound training using SonoSim: A preliminary evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Urology residents are encouraged to learn ultrasound (U/S) imaging, yet there are few tools available for teaching and assessing a resident`s competence. The aim of this study was to test the new SonoSim LiveScan® and to propose a competency-based assessment model for the urology graduate medical education.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Urology residents attended an interactive training session covering the urological U/S techniques guided by the assessment model developed by the authors. Faculty members evaluated the residents using defined objectives, and the residents were surveyed on their comfort level for performing each of the model tasks. A subset of the residents then underwent a structured testing using the SonoSim LiveScan device 6 months following the training. The model developed assessed: general U/S setup, structure identification, and pathologic clinical scenarios.

RESULTS

The residents felt most comfortable in identifying the bladder (4.73/5) and the kidneys (4.53/5) during the training sessions. They felt least comfortable while testing for total ureteric obstruction (3.13/5). All the residents were confident that additional U/S training sessions would improve their comfort level in performing the assessed objectives. Resident`s assessment performed at 6 months had a median test score of 15.5/20 and the assessment scores increased with resident seniority. Self-reported comfort, however, did not seem to correlate with seniority. In general, the residents felt that the SonoSim device was highly functional (4.4/5) and the pathologic assessments in particular were very helpful (4.4/5).

CONCLUSIONS

Through pilot testing, we propose that a competency-based assessment used with the SonoSim LiveScan could guide the resident`s education through the acquisition of U/S skills and warrants testing in a larger cohort.

Clinical Integration of Point-of-care Ultrasound by Emergency Medicine Residents: A Single-center Mixed-methods Study

BACKGROUND

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) competence consists of image acquisition, image interpretation, and clinical integration. Limited data exist on POCUS usage patterns and clinical integration by emergency medicine (EM) residents. We sought to determine actual POCUS usage and clinical integration patterns by EM residents and to explore residents' perspectives on POCUS clinical integration.

METHODS

We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study at a 4-year EM residency program. In phase 1, EM ultrasound (US) attendings observed PGY-4 EM residents' clinical integration of POCUS in real time while on shift in the emergency department (ED). EM US attendings evaluated residents on their intent to perform POCUS, actual POCUS usage, and competence per patient encounter. We used logistic regression to analyze these parameters. In phase 2, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the observed PGY-4 residents regarding POCUS usage and clinical integration in the ED. We analyzed qualitative data for themes.

RESULTS

Emergency medicine US attendings observed 10 PGY-4 EM residents during 254 high-acuity patient encounters from December 2018 to March 2019. EM US attendings considered POCUS indicated for 26% (66/254) of patients, possibly indicated for 12% (30/254) and not indicated for 62% (158/254). Of the 66 patients for whom EM US attendings considered POCUS indicated, PGY-4s intended to perform POCUS for patient management 61% (40/66) of the time. PGY-4s subsequently incorporated POCUS into patient management 73% (48/66) of the time. EM US attendings considered PGY-4s entrustable to perform POCUS independently 81% (206/254) of the time. We did not find a statistically significant association between shift volume, shift type, or POCUS application, and resident intent to perform POCUS nor competence. Interviews identified three factors that influence PGY-4's POCUS clinical integration: motivations to use POCUS, barriers to utilization, and POCUS educational methods.

CONCLUSIONS

This mixed-methods study identified a significant gap in POCUS utilization and clinical integration by PGY-4 EM residents for clinically indicated cases identified by EM US attendings. As clinical integration is a cornerstone of POCUS competence, it is important to ensure that EM resident POCUS curricula emphasize training on clinical utilization and indications for POCUS while on shift in the ED.

Interdisciplinary approach to enhance trauma residents education of Extended-Focused Assessment for Sonography in Trauma in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

Despite the utilization of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by trauma surgeons, formal POCUS requirements do not exist for general surgery residents. We sought to evaluate surgery resident comfort with performing and interpreting of Extended-Focused Assessment for Sonography in Trauma (E-FAST) scans after a brief educational session.

METHODS

A pre-survey, sent to PGY-2 and -3 surgical residents before their trauma rotation, evaluated comfort with eight components of the E-FAST. Residents were then required to watch a 15-min online video and attend a 1-h bedside training session moderated by emergency medicine ultrasound fellows during which residents practised E-FAST image acquisition and interpretation. After the rotation, residents completed a post-survey evaluating their comfort with the E-FAST.

RESULTS

All 27 residents rotating on the trauma service during the 2017-2018 academic year were eligible and, therefore, approached by the study team. Twenty-one (77.78%) residents completed the pre-survey, training and post-survey. Initially, only 52% (13/25) of residents reported feeling confident in performing the E-FAST. After the session, all (100%) reported feeling confident in their training in E-FAST. Self-reported mean comfort with each of the eight components of the E-FAST showed a statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase from pre-post survey for all residents. Isolating only the residents who initially reported feeling confident in E-FAST still showed a statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in mean comfort.

CONCLUSION

A single POCUS training programme has been shown to improve surgical residents' comfort in performing and interpreting the E-FAST. This interdisciplinary approach can enhance collaboration and bridge gaps between emergency medicine and surgery residency programmes.

DIY AI, deep learning network development for automated image classification in a point-of-care ultrasound quality assurance program

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly a part of daily life and offers great possibilities to enrich health care. Imaging applications of AI have been mostly developed by large, well-funded companies and currently are inaccessible to the comparatively small market of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) programs. Given this absence of commercial solutions, we sought to create and test a do-it-yourself (DIY) deep learning algorithm to classify ultrasound images to enhance the quality assurance work-flow for POCUS programs.

METHODS

We created a convolutional neural network using publicly available software tools and pre-existing convolutional neural network architecture. The convolutional neural network was subsequently trained using ultrasound images from seven ultrasound exam types: pelvis, heart, lung, abdomen, musculoskeletal, ocular, and central vascular access from 189 publicly available POCUS videos. Approximately 121,000 individual images were extracted from the videos, 80% were used for model training and 10% each for cross validation and testing. We then tested the algorithm for accuracy against a set of 160 randomly extracted ultrasound frames from ultrasound videos not previously used for training and that were performed on different ultrasound equipment. Three POCUS experts blindly categorized the 160 random images, and results were compared to the convolutional neural network algorithm. Descriptive statistics and Krippendorff alpha reliability estimates were calculated.

RESULTS

The cross validation of the convolutional neural network approached 99% for accuracy. The algorithm accurately classified 98% of the test ultrasound images. In the new POCUS program simulation phase, the algorithm accurately classified 70% of 160 new images for moderate correlation with the ground truth, α = 0.64. The three blinded POCUS experts correctly classified 93%, 94%, and 98% of the images, respectively. There was excellent agreement among the experts with α = 0.87. Agreement between experts and algorithm was good with α = 0.74. The most common error was misclassifying musculoskeletal images for both the algorithm (40%) and POCUS experts (40.6%). The algorithm took 7 minutes 45 seconds to review and classify the new 160 images. The 3 expert reviewers took 27, 32, and 45 minutes to classify the images, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our algorithm accurately classified 98% of new images, by body scan area, related to its training pool, simulating POCUS program workflow. Performance was diminished with exam images from an unrelated image pool and ultrasound equipment, suggesting additional images and convolutional neural network training are necessary for fine tuning when using across different POCUS programs. The algorithm showed theoretical potential to improve workflow for POCUS program directors, if fully implemented. The implications of our DIY AI for POCUS are scalable and further work to maximize the collaboration between AI and POCUS programs is warranted.

Core Content for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship Training: A Modified Delphi Consensus Study

BACKGROUND

Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) fellowships exist to provide learners with expertise in ultrasound (US) education, administration, and research oversight. Currently, there are no standardized goals or objectives for these programs, resulting in considerable variability in PEM POCUS fellowship training.

METHODS

A modified Delphi survey of PEM and general emergency medicine (EM) POCUS experts in Canada and the United States was conducted to obtain consensus regarding the most important curricular components of a PEM POCUS fellowship training program. Participants were solicited from the P2 Network mailing list and from PEM and EM POCUS fellowship directors listed on the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships and the Canadian Society of POCUS-EM Fellowships websites. Curricular components considered as part of the survey included US skills, educational skills, administrative skills, and research requirements. Consensus was considered to have been reached when ≥80% of respondents agreed to either include or exclude the component in fellowship training.

RESULTS

Round 1 of the survey was sent to 311 participants. A total of 118 (37.9%) completed eligibility for the survey, and 92 (78.0%) met eligibility criteria. Of those, 80 (67.8% of eligible participants) completed the first round of the survey. Round 2 of the survey was sent to those who completed part 1, and 64 (80.0%) completed that round. During Round 1, consensus was achieved for 15 of 75 US applications, seven of seven educational skills, nine of 11 administrative skills, and four of six research requirements. In Round 2 of the survey, consensus was reached on two additional US skills, but no additional administrative skills or research requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

With a consensus-building process, the core content for PEM POCUS fellowship training was defined. This can help POCUS educators formulate standardized curricula to create consistent training in POCUS fellowship graduates.

Interpretation Accuracy and Interrater Agreement of Pediatric Skin and Soft Tissue Point-of-Care Ultrasound Images among Residents and Faculty

BACKGROUND

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is commonly used to facilitate care in the emergency department. Acquired images are often reviewed by local experts for educational and quality assurance purposes. However, no published study has examined the accuracy and reliability of POCUS image interpretation by multiple reviewers.

OBJECTIVES

We studied the accuracy and interrater agreement among expert and trainee reviewers of prerecorded pediatric skin and soft tissue (SST) POCUS images.

METHODS

POCUS faculty and emergency medicine (EM) residents blindly reviewed deidentified pediatric SST POCUS images and indicated whether a drainable fluid collection was present, absent, or indeterminate. This was then compared with the gold standard based on discharge diagnoses and telephone follow-up. Images rated as indeterminate were excluded from the initial analysis. Sensitivity analysis assuming indeterminate answers were inaccurate was subsequently conducted.

RESULTS

In phase 1, 6 pediatric EM POCUS directors reviewed 168 images. The overall accuracy was 79.7% (range 66.1-86.0%). The mean Cohen's kappa was 0.58 (range 0.24-0.84). Sensitivity analysis yielded an overall accuracy of 71.3% (range 56.5-76.9%) and a Cohen's kappa of 0.43 (range 0.20-0.59). In phase 2, 6 general EM POCUS faculty and 20 EM residents reviewed 120 images. The overall accuracy among residents was 72.2% (range 51.4-84.7%) and among faculty was 83.6% (range 77.9-88.8%). Sensitivity analysis yielded an overall resident accuracy of 63.0% (range 49.5-80.7) and an overall faculty accuracy of 73.9% (range 67.0-79.8%). Fleiss' kappa was 0.322 for residents and 0.461 for faculty.

CONCLUSIONS

We found moderate accuracy and fair to good interrater agreement among POCUS faculty and EM residents reviewing pediatric SST POCUS images.

Tools for Measuring Clinical Ultrasound Competency: Recommendations From the Ultrasound Competency Work Group

Competency in clinical ultrasound is essential to ensuring safe patient care. Competency in clinical ultrasound includes identifying when to perform a clinical ultrasound, performing the technical skills required for ultrasound image acquisition, accurately interpreting ultrasound images, and incorporating sonographic findings into clinical practice. In this concept paper, we discuss the advantages and limitations of existing tools to measure ultrasound competency. We propose strategies and future directions for assessing competency in clinical ultrasound.

Three different ways of training ultrasound student-tutors yield significant gains in tutee's scanning-skills

Aim: Many medical universities rely these days on trained student tutors to enable faculty-wide undergraduate ultrasound training. However, there is neither consensus on an optimal method nor any developed and agreed standard in the training of these student tutors. Usually internships and courses are employed which have both a specific set of advantages and disadvantages. We conducted a prospective quasi-randomized study of assess the effects of three types of tutor training on the resulting improvement in scanning skills of their tutees. Methods: Three batches of student tutors were trained by a course only (C-group), by an internship only (I-group) or by a course and an internship (CI-group). The respective gains in ultrasound scanning skills of the tutees were measured prospectively. A total 75 of the 124 5^th year medical students (60.5%) who attended the mandatory ultrasound course completed both pre- and post-exams on a voluntary basis. Within a limit of eight minutes and three images, they were asked to depict and label a maximum of 14 anatomical structures. Two blinded raters independently awarded two points for each label with an identifiable structure and one point for each label with a possibly identifiable structure. Results: In all three groups, the tutees improved significantly by more than doubling their pre-score results and comparably (Gains: C-group 9.19±5.73 points, p<.0001, I-group 9.77±4.81 points, p<.0001, CI-group 8.97±5.49 points, p<.0001). Conclusion: Student tutors, who were trained with a course or an internship or a course and an internship could teach scanning skills to 5th year medical students very effectively and with similar success.

Evaluation of a novel curriculum on point-of-care ultrasound competency and confidence

INTRODUCTION

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education is a requirement of graduate medical education in EM. Milestones have been established to assess resident US competency. However, the delivery of POCUS education has not been standardized. This study aims to evaluate the impact of implementing a longitudinal, structured POCUS curriculum during EM residency on trainee competency and confidence.

METHODS

A prospective study of PGY-3 trainees before and after implementation of a novel POCUS curriculum was performed over an 18-month period at an EM residency training program. Curriculum design included longitudinal POCUS application-based monthly electronic content, bi-monthly residency conference sessions, and hands-on rotations. PGY-3 resident's POCUS knowledge was assessed with a 38-question multiple-choice and image-based exam. Further, PGY-3 residents were surveyed regarding POCUS confidence. Survey results evaluated provider confidence, satisfaction with the novel curriculum, and overall perception of POCUS utility scored on a 1 (low) to 5 (high) scale. Results were evaluated using an unpaired t test for data analysis.

RESULTS

Mean quiz scores of 8 pre-curriculum PGY-3 residents (84%; 95%CI 78.46-89.54) were not significantly different when compared with 13 post-curriculum PGY-3 residents (82%; 95%CI 77.11-86.89) (p = 0.6126). Survey results for pre-curriculum trainees across each section were 4.13 (95%CI 3.91-4.35), 3.68 (95%CI 3.32-4.04), and 4.33 (95%CI 4.06-4.6). Results for post-curriculum trainees trended higher for each section at 4.22 (95%CI 4.04-4.40) (p = 0.4738), 3.84 (95%CI 3.52-4.16) (p = 0.5279), and 4.49 (95%CI 4.21-4.77) (p = 0.4534).

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of a structured, longitudinal POCUS curriculum resulted in a trend towards improved trainee confidence, satisfaction, and perception of POCUS. Future studies are needed to identify the optimal structure for POCUS educational content delivery and competency assessment for EM resident providers.

Rapid, remote education for point-of-care ultrasound among non-physician emergency care providers in a resource limited setting

INTRODUCTION

Access to high-quality emergency care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is lacking. Many countries utilise a strategy known as "task-shifting" where skills and responsibilities are distributed in novel ways among healthcare personnel. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has the potential to significantly improve emergency care in LMICs.

METHODS

POCUS was incorporated into a training program for a ten-person cohort of non-physician Emergency Care Providers (ECPs) in rural Uganda. We performed a prospective observational evaluation on the impact of a remote, rapid review of POCUS studies on the primary objective of ECP ultrasound quality and secondary objective of ultrasound utilisation. The study was divided into four phases over 11 months: an initial in-person training month, two middle month blocks where ECPs performed ultrasounds independently without remote electronic feedback, and the final months when ECPs performed ultrasounds independently with remote electronic feedback. Quality was assessed on a previously published eight-point ordinal scale by a U.S.-based expert sonographer and rapid standardised feedback was given to ECPs by local staff. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound exam findings for the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) was calculated.

RESULTS

Over the study duration, 1153 ultrasound studies were reviewed. Average imaging frequency per ECP dropped 61% after the initial in-person training month (p = 0.01) when ECPs performed ultrasound independently, but rebounded once electronic feedback was initiated (p = 0.001), with an improvement in quality from 3.82 (95% CI, 3.32-4.32) to 4.68 (95% CI, 4.35-5.01) on an eight-point scale. The sensitivity and specificity of FAST exam during the initial training period was 77.8 (95% CI, 59.2-83.0) and 98.5 (95% CI, 93.3-99.9), respectively. Sensitivity improved 88% compared to independent, non-feedback months whereas specificity was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Remotely delivered quality assurance feedback is an effective educational tool to enhance provider skill and foster continued and sustainable use of ultrasound in LMICs.

Consensus Core Point-of-care Ultrasound Applications for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Training

BACKGROUND

Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians have variably incorporated point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into their practice. Prior guidelines describe the scope of POCUS practice for PEM physicians; however, consensus does not yet exist about which applications should be prioritized and taught as fundamental skills for PEM trainees. Members of the PEM POCUS Network (P2Network) conducted a consensus-building process to determine which applications to incorporate into PEM fellowship training.

METHODS

A multinational group of experts in PEM POCUS was recruited from the P2Network and greater PEM POCUS community if they met the following criteria: performed over 1,000 POCUS scans and had at least 3 years of experience teaching POCUS to PEM fellows, were a local academic POCUS leader, or completed a formal PEM POCUS fellowship. Experts rated 60 possible PEM POCUS applications for their importance to include as part of a PEM fellowship curriculum using a modified Delphi consensus-building technique.

RESULTS

In round 1, 66 of 92 (72%) participants responded to an e-mail survey of which 48 met expert criteria and completed the survey. Consensus was reached to include 18 items in a PEM fellowship curriculum and to exclude two items. The 40 remaining items and seven additional items were considered in round 2. Thirty-seven of 48 (77%) experts completed round 2 reaching consensus to include three more items and exclude five. The remaining 39 items did not reach consensus for inclusion or exclusion.

CONCLUSION

Experts reached consensus on 21 core POCUS applications to include in PEM fellowship curricula.

Diagnostic Accuracy of a Three-point Compression Ultrasonography Performed by Emergency Medicine Resident for the Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis: a Prospective Diagnostic Study

INTRODUCTION

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common cause of admission to the emergency departments (ED). Doppler ultrasonography of the entire lower limb is the first-line imaging modality. But most EDs do not access to full-time radiologists which can lead to delayed diagnosis.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of three-point compression ultrasonography performed by emergency medicine resident for diagnosis of DVT.

METHODS

This prospective diagnostic study was carried out at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari from March 2018 to November 2018. For all patients with suspected lower extremity DVT, first bedside 3-point compression ultrasound were performed by a third year emergency medicine resident at ED. Then Doppler ultrasonography were performed by a radiologist in the radiology department, as a reference test. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the three-point compression ultrasound performed by emergency medicine resident was calculated.

RESULTS

Of the 72 patients enrolled in our study, 50% of the patients were male, with an average age of 36±19 years. The mean of patient admission time to perform ultrasonography by an emergency medicine resident and radiologist were 14.05±19 and 216±140.1 minutes, respectively. The two groups had a statistically significant difference (P<0.0001). In ultrasonography performed by emergency medicine resident and doper ultrasonography by radiologist, 91.67% and 36.1% of patients were diagnosed with DVT, respectively. Although the ultrasonography performed by emergency medicine resident has a relatively low sensitivity (53.8%), it has a good specificity (85.7%). The positive and negative predictive value was 70 and 75%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Although the results of this study indicate insufficient sensitivity of bedside three-point compression ultrasound performed by emergency medicine resident in diagnosis of lower limb DVT, the specificity, positive and negative predictive values and positive likelihood ratio were almost appropriate.

Orthopaedic Residents' Interpretation of Point-of-Care Assessment of Distal Radial Fractures with Use of Pocket-Sized Ultrasound Devices

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal ultrasonography is a tool that is being used increasingly. However, the interpretation of ultrasound images of fractures is not incorporated into orthopaedic training programs. This paper presents the results of an initiative to train orthopaedic surgery residents to accurately interpret images of distal radial fractures in adults and to assess their confidence levels and attitudes regarding their future use of ultrasonography.

METHODS

Six junior residents were given a pretest with 100 distal radial images that had been made with a pocket-sized ultrasound device; they were asked to determine fracture versus nonfracture cases (50 cases) as well as reduced fracture versus nonreduced fracture cases (50 cases). Following the pretest, residents completed a 30-minute tutorial (didactic and practical) on distal radial ultrasonography. The residents then completed a period of self-practice during 2 separate trauma rotations (a total of 14 to 16 weeks in a single academic year). Following completion of their second trauma rotation, the residents completed a posttest. Comfort level using a pocket-sized ultrasound device also was assessed during pretesting and posttesting.

RESULTS

The median number of days from the pretest to the posttest was 212 days (range, 175 to 225 days). Residents demonstrated an overall improvement in positive predictive value (PPV) of identifying a fracture from the pretest (86.0%; range, 77.5% to 93.1%) to the posttest (93.5%; range, 91.4% to 94.2%). The overall negative predictive value (NPV) for identifying a fracture also improved from the pretest (69.4%; range, 60.0% to 76.9%) to the posttest (81.0%; range, 76.4% to 86.7%; p = 0.04). The overall PPV for detecting a reduced fracture improved from 67.1% with the pretest (range, 54.2% to 82.4%) to 88.9% with the posttest (range, 83.3% to 94.1%; p = 0.04). The comfort level with using the ultrasound device also increased between pretesting and posttesting, and the residents felt that ultrasonography would be useful in the care of distal radial fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

After a focused training session and a period of self-practice, orthopaedic residents improved their interpretation of ultrasound images and their comfort level using pocket-sized ultrasound devices with adult patients with distal radial fractures. Residents felt that a pocket-sized ultrasound device was useful for fracture diagnosis and evaluation of reduction.

Direct Observation Assessment of Ultrasound Competency Using a Mobile Standardized Direct Observation Tool Application With Comparison to Asynchronous Quality Assurance Evaluation

OBJECTIVES

Competency assessment is a key component of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training. The purpose of this study was to design a smartphone-based standardized direct observation tool (SDOT) and to compare a faculty-observed competency assessment at the bedside with a blinded reference standard assessment in the quality assurance (QA) review of ultrasound images.

METHODS

In this prospective, observational study, an SDOT was created using SurveyMonkey containing specific scoring and evaluation items based on the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency-Academy of Emergency Ultrasound: Consensus Document for the Emergency Ultrasound Milestone Project. Ultrasound faculty used the mobile phone-based data collection tool as an SDOT at the bedside when students, residents, and fellows were performing one of eight core POCUS examinations. Data recorded included demographic data, examination-specific data, and overall quality measures (on a scale of 1-5, with 3 and above being defined as adequate for clinical decision making), as well as interpretation and clinical knowledge. The POCUS examination itself was recorded and uploaded to QPath, a HIPAA-compliant ultrasound archive. Each examination was later reviewed by another faculty blinded to the result of the bedside evaluation. The agreement of examinations scored adequate (3 and above) in the two evaluation methods was the primary outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 163 direct observation evaluations were collected from 23 EM residents (93 SDOTs [57%]), 14 students (51 SDOTs [31%]), and four fellows (19 SDOTs [12%]). The trainees were evaluated on completing cardiac (54 [33%]), focused assessment with sonography for trauma (34 [21%]), biliary (25 [15%]), aorta (18 [11%]), renal (12 [7%]), pelvis (eight [5%]), deep vein thrombosis (seven [4%]), and lung scan (5 [3%]). Overall, the number of observed agreements between bedside and QA assessments was 81 (87.1% of the observations) for evaluating the quality of images (scores 1 and 2 vs. scores 3, 4, and 5). The strength of agreement is considered to be "fair" (κ = 0.251 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02-0.48). Further agreement assessment demonstrated a fair agreement for images taken by residents and students and a "perfect" agreement in images taken by fellows. Overall, a "moderate" inter-rater agreement was found in 79.1% for the accuracy of interpretation of POCUS scan (e.g., true positive, false negative) during QA and bedside evaluation (κ = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.34-0.63). Faculty at the bedside and QA assessment reached a moderate agreement on interpretations noted by residents and students and a "good" agreement on fellows' scans.

CONCLUSION

Using a bedside SDOT through a mobile SurveyMonkey platform facilitates assessment of competency in emergency ultrasound learners and correlates well with traditional competency evaluation by asynchronous weekly image review QA.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Intensive Care Unit

Spreading beyond the realm of tertiary academic medical centers, point-of-care ultrasound in the intensive care unit is an important diagnostic tool. The real-time feedback garnered can lead to critical and clinically relevant changes in management and decrease potential complications. Bedside ultrasound evaluation in the intensive care setting with a small, portable equipment is well-suited for placement of central lines, lumbar puncture, thoracentesis or other bedside ICU procedures and in the evaluation of cardiac activity, pleural and abdominal cavity and the overall fluid volume. Formalized curriculums centering on point-of-care ultrasound are emerging that will enhance its applicability and relevance.

Diagnosis of Traumatic Eye Injuries With Point-of-Care Ocular Ultrasonography in the Emergency Department

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Traumatic eye injuries are common emergency department presentations worldwide, and diagnosis may be delayed because of concurrent injuries and lack of guidelines in regard to the utility of clinical examination, computed tomography (CT), and point-of-care ultrasonography. In this study, we compare point-of-care ultrasonography with ophthalmologist clinical examination and CT for 6 types of traumatic eye injury.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study evaluating patients with suspected traumatic eye injury who were recruited at an academic medical center in Tabriz, Iran. Each patient was evaluated by an emergency physician with point-of-care ultrasonography using a 7- to 15-MHz linear transducer, by a radiologist with orbital CT imaging, and by an ophthalmologist with a complete bedside ocular examination. Obtained results were tabulated. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were subsequently calculated. Cohen's κ was assessed to evaluate the agreement between ocular point-of-care ultrasonography with orbital CT and point-of-care ultrasonography with complete bedside ocular examination.

RESULTS

Two hundred thirty-two patients (351 eyes) with suspected traumatic eye injury were included. In all measures of accuracy, diagnosis by point-of-care ultrasonography compared favorably with CT and a complete bedside ocular examination by an ophthalmologist in the 6 ocular injury patterns included in this study. Compared with CT imaging, point-of-care ultrasonography provided a specificity of 99.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 97.8% to 99.9%) and a sensitivity of 96.8% (95% CI 83.3% to 99.9%) in the diagnosis of lens dislocation, and a specificity of 99.7% (95% CI 98.3% to 100.0%) and sensitivity of 95.7% (95% CI 78.1% to 99.9%) in the diagnosis of retrobulbar hematoma. Compared with complete bedside ocular examination by an ophthalmologist, point-of-care ultrasonography provided a specificity of 98.7% (95% CI 96.7% to 99.6%) and sensitivity of 97.8% (95% CI 88.2% to 99.9%) in the diagnosis of vitreous hemorrhage. In all injury types, positive likelihood ratios were high and negative ones were low.

CONCLUSION

Point-of-care ultrasonography demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of traumatic eye injury, and represents a valuable diagnostic tool in addition to orbital CT and complete beside ocular examination by an ophthalmologist in the diagnosis of traumatic eye injury.

Correlation of OSCE performance and point-of-care ultrasound scan numbers among a cohort of emergency medicine residents

Background

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an important clinical tool for a growing number of medical specialties. The current American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Ultrasound Guidelines recommend that trainees perform 150–300 ultrasound scans as part of POCUS training. We sought to assess the relationship between ultrasound scan numbers and performance on an ultrasound-focused observed structured clinical examination (OSCE).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional cohort study in which the number of ultrasound scans residents had previously performed were obtained from a prospective database and compared with their total score on an ultrasound OSCE. Ultrasound fellowship trained emergency physicians administered a previously published OSCE that consisted of standardized questions testing image acquisition and interpretation, ultrasound machine mechanics, patient positioning, and troubleshooting. Residents were observed while performing core applications including aorta, biliary, cardiac, deep vein thrombosis, Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST), pelvic, and thoracic ultrasound imaging.

Results

Twenty-nine postgraduate year (PGY)-3 and PGY-4 emergency medicine (EM) residents participated in the OSCE. The median OSCE score was 354 [interquartile range (IQR) 343–361] out of a total possible score of 370. Trainees had previously performed a median of 341 [IQR 289–409] total scans. Residents with more than 300 ultrasound scans had a median OSCE score of 355 [IQR 351–360], which was slightly higher than the median OSCE score of 342 [IQR 326–361] in the group with less than 300 total scans (p = 0.04). Overall, a LOWESS curve demonstrated a positive association between scan numbers and OSCE scores with graphical review of the data suggesting a plateau effect.

Conclusion

The results of this small single residency program study suggest a pattern of improvement in OSCE performance as scan numbers increased, with the appearance of a plateau effect around 300 scans. Further investigation of this correlation in diverse practice environments and within individual ultrasound modalities will be necessary to create generalizable recommendations for scan requirements as part of overall POCUS proficiency assessment.

[Knowledge retention after focused cardiac ultrasound training: a prospective cohort pilot study]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) has proven instrumental in guiding anesthesiologists' clinical decision-making process. Training residents to perform and interpret FoCUS is both feasible and effective. However, the degree of knowledge retention after FoCUS training remains a subject of debate. We sought to provide a description of our 4-week FoCUS curriculum, and to assess the knowledge retention among anesthesia residents at 6 months after FoCUS rotation.

METHODS

A prospective analysis involving eleven senior anesthesia residents was carried out. At end of FoCUS Rotation (EOR) participants completed a questionnaire (evaluating the number of scans completed and residents' self-rated knowledge and comfort level with FoCUS), and a multiple-choice FoCUS exam comprised of written- and video-based questions. Six months later, participants completed a follow-up questionnaire and a similar exam. Self-rated knowledge and exam scores were compared at EOR and after 6 months. Spearman correlations were conducted to test the relationship between number of scans completed and exam scores, perceived knowledge and exam scores, and number of scans and perceived knowledge.

RESULTS

Mean exam scores (out of 50) were 44.1 at EOR and 43 at the 6-month follow-up. Residents had significantly higher perceived knowledge (out of 10) at EOR (8.0) than at the 6-month follow-up (5.5), p=0.003. At the EOR, all trainees felt comfortable using FoCUS, and at 6 months 10/11 still felt comfortable. All the trainees had used FoCUS in their clinical practice after EOR, and the most cited reason for not using FoCUS more frequently was the lack of perceived clinical need. A strong and statistically significant (rho=0.804, p=0.005) correlation between number of scans completed during the FoCUS rotation and 6-month follow-up perceived knowledge was observed.

CONCLUSION

Four weeks of intensive FoCUS training results in adequate knowledge acquisition and 6-month knowledge retention.

Documenting the Growth of Ultrasound Research in Emergency Medicine Through a Bibliometric Analysis of Accepted Academic Conference Abstracts

OBJECTIVES

Ultrasound (US) has become an indispensable skill for emergency physicians. Growth in the use of US in emergency medicine (EM) has been characterized by practice guidelines, education requirements, and the number of EM US practitioners. Our purpose was to further document the growth of EM US by profiling the breadth, depth, and quality of US-related research presented at EM's most prominent annual research conference: the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Annual Meeting.

METHODS

We reviewed published research abstracts from the annual Society for Academic Emergency Medicine conferences from 1999 to 2015. Abstracts related to US were identified and examined for the number of authors and rigor of the research design. Designs were categorized as experimental, quasiexperimental, and nonexperimental. Abstract submissions were analyzed by the average rate of change over time.

RESULTS

From 1999 to 2015, we observed a 10.2% increase in the number of accepted abstracts related to US research. This rate compared to a 3.2% average rate of change for all abstracts in general. The number of unique authors engaged in US research increased at a rate of 26.6%. Of the 602 abstracts identified as US related, only 12% could be considered experimental research.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed larger increases in the number of US-related research relative to the total number of abstracts presented at a national conference. The number of investigators engaging in this research has also steadily increased. The research design of these studies was found to be primarily quasiexperimental. To improve the quality of EM's use of point-of-care US, more rigorous research with experimental designs is needed.