title: An overview of emergency ultrasound in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As emergency ultrasound use explodes around the world, it is important to realize the path its development has taken and learn from trials and tribulations of early practitioners in the field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Approaches to education, scanning, documentation, and organization are also described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Machines have reduced in price and once purchased further material costs are low. Staffing costs in terms of training, etc have yet to be assessed, but indications from elsewhere are that these are low. Length of stay in the emergency department dramatically decreases, thus increasing patient satisfaction while maintaining an even higher standard of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emergency screening ultrasound is now a nationally accepted tool for the rapid assessment of the emergency patient.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Ultrasound, Upper Chesapeake Health System, Bel Air, MD 21014, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Michalke
keywords: Emergency ultrasound; United States