The use of point of care ultrasound in many medical settings is becoming clearer to practitioners and patients every day. While Maverick Medical Education has addressed the utility of POCUS on COVID-19 triage, the benefits extend far beyond helping teams determine care for those who have contracted this virus. POCUS can be used to improve patient outcomes and triage for their care no matter what they suspect their illness or injury may be.
Mobility
One of the best aspects of becoming proficient with point of care ultrasound is the mobility it provides to adapt to any setting. While an MRI, CT, or X-ray can also be used to look inside a patient, these machines are fixed in their location. POCUS can be moved from room to room, into the hallway, be used in a waiting room, or even utilized outside if the situation warranted it. With a quick application of cleaning solution, the ability to peer inside a patient to see what is going on after a few preliminary questions can transfer to the next person on the triage list. This can also help reduce exposure to viruses as patients can be triaged outside or in isolation without transporting down crowded hallways.
Interpretation
As more medical professionals learn how to use POCUS, patient outcomes should improve as the interpretation of the screening is done directly by the team who is managing the care. Not only does this decrease the amount of time between the imaging which speeds up patient care, but the medical team can begin making a treatment plan and monitor their patient at determined intervals to ensure the treatment is working.
Scope of Care
POCUS is extremely beneficial in the sheer number of diagnosis it can assist in making. From obstetrics and gynecological care to free fluid in the body after trauma, from thoracic concerns to cardiac failure, doctors in any setting, including the emergency room settings will have a more complete view on each of their patients. Due to the portability of POCUS, practitioners can also look at multiple areas of trauma or pain, depending on the patient, to make sure there are no additional areas of concern. Additionally, there are less adverse risks to multiple scans, whereas other imaging solutions will want to be used minimally.
Best Practices
Proficiency and practice will be the first steps to help your patients receive the best care. Training opportunities, like Maverick Medical Education’s Point of Care Ultrasound courses will provide a basic understanding and hours of training with our team on how to adapt and use POCUS in your practice. Over the past twenty years, point of care ultrasound has become vital to the care of patients and will only increase in the years to come.
To learn more about our Point of Care Ultrasound Continuing Education course or to see what we can offer in terms of pain management, contact us today. Our team of Mavericks can make your practice better at caring for your patients, in whatever field you may be in.
