title: Effects of Student-Performed Point-of-Care Ultrasound on Physician Diagnosis and Management of Patients in the Emergency Department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the increasing integration of ultrasound training into medical education, there is an inadequate body of research demonstrating the benefits and practicality of medical student-performed point-of-care ultrasound (SP-POCUS) in the clinical setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects that SP-POCUS can have on physician diagnosis and management of patients in the emergency department, with a secondary purpose of evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of SP-POCUS.
  
  
  METHODS
  SP-POCUS examinations were performed in the emergency department by medical students who completed year one of a 4-year medical school curriculum with integrated ultrasound training. Scans were evaluated by an emergency physician who then completed a survey to record any changes in diagnosis and management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 641 scans were performed on the 482 patients enrolled in this study. SP-POCUS resulted in a change in management in 17.3% of scans performed. For 12.4% of scans, SP-POCUS discovered a new diagnosis. SP-POCUS reduced time to disposition 33.5% of the time. Because of SP-POCUS, physicians avoided ordering an additional imaging study for 53.0% of the scans performed. There was 94.7% physician agreement with SP-POCUS diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that SP-POCUS is feasible and may potentially have a meaningful impact on physician diagnosis and management of patients in the emergency department. In addition, the implementation of SP-POCUS could serve as an ideal method of developing ultrasound skills in medical school while positively impacting patient care.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Udrea
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumnicht
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Logan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villarreal
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gondra
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Audra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wisham
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Vi Am
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Dinh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D019468:Disease Management; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000639:trends*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D013337:Students, Medical; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: diagnosis; education; management; point-of-care; training; ultrasound