title: Point-of-care ultrasound versus radiology department pelvic ultrasound on emergency department length of stay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study aimed to compare the time to overall length of stay (LOS) for patients who underwent point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) versus radiology department ultrasound (RDUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study on a convenience sample of patients who required pelvic ultrasound imaging as part of their emergency department (ED) assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled a total of 194 patients who were on average 32 years-old. Ninety-eight (51%) patients were pregnant (<20 weeks). Time to completion of RDUS was 66 minutes longer than POCUS (95%CI 60-73, P<0.01). Patients randomized to the RDUS arm experienced a 120 minute longer ED length of stay (LOS) (95%CI 66-173, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients who require pelvic ultrasound as part of their diagnostic evaluation, POCUS resulted in a significant decrease in time to ultrasound and ED LOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Sean P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Kiah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahham
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Chanel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fischetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiem
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aspen
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fox
keywords: Intrauterine pregnancy; Length of stay; Pelvic ultrasound; Point-of-care ultrasound