Transfer from point-of-care Ultrasonography training to diagnostic performance on patients--a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Clinicians are increasingly using point-of-care ultrasonography for bedside examinations of patients. However, proper training is needed in this technique, and it is unknown whether the skills learned from focused Ultrasonography courses are being transferred to diagnostic performance on patients.


METHODS
Thirty-one physicians were randomized to participate in a focused Ultrasonography course or control circumstances before they examined 4 patients with different abdominal conditions by ultrasonography. Performance scores and diagnostic accuracy were compared using independent samples t test and binary logistic regression, respectively.


RESULTS
There was a significant difference in the performance score between the intervention group (27.4%) and the control group (18.0%, P = .004) and the diagnostic accuracy between the intervention group (65%) and the control group (39%, P = .014).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians could successfully transfer learning from an Ultrasonography course to improve diagnostic performance on patients. However, our results also indicate a need for more training when new technologies such as point-of-care ultrasonography are introduced.
Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen, The Capital Region of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark; Greenland Center for Health Research, University of Greenland, Manutooq 1, 3905 Nuuk, Greenland. Electronic address: tobiastodsen@gmail.com.
Tobias
T
Todsen
Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen, The Capital Region of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark; Global Development, Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.
Morten Lind
ML
Jensen
Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen, The Capital Region of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nordsjællands University Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark.
Martin Grønnebæk
MG
Tolsgaard
Department of Radiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.
Beth Härstedt
BH
Olsen
Department of Radiology, Ultrasound Section, Diagnostic Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Birthe Merete
BM
Henriksen
Department of Surgery, Abdominal Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jens Georg
JG
Hillingsø
Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen, The Capital Region of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark.
Lars
L
Konge
Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Charlotte
C
Ringsted
D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003718:Denmark; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
Competency; Simulation; Skill transfer; Training; Ultrasonography