Should UK emergency physicians undertake diagnostic ultrasound examinations?
From the published evidence there is no doubt that emergency physicians in America can undertake focused ultrasound examinations and that, by extrapolation, this would also be the case for UK emergency physicians. If this skill is to become part of the diagnostic armamentarium of the emergency physician, however, it needs to be demonstrated to be cost effective compared with the alternatives already available to the hospital. Trials to test for this benefit should adopt a hospital and not an emergency department perspective if the results are to influence health policy and specialty training.
Emergency Department, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona.
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Robinson
M J
MJ
Clancy
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom