Background: Several institutions have implemented a medical procedure service (MPS) to improve timeliness of bedside procedures and standardize performance and training of procedures by internal medicine (IM) residents (1-2). A critical barrier to starting an MPS has been a lack of experienced proceduralists (3). In 2011, our IM residency program created an MPS led by […]

Background: Several institutions have implemented a medical procedure service (MPS) to improve timeliness of bedside procedures and standardize performance and training of procedures by internal medicine (IM) residents (1-2). A critical barrier to starting an MPS has been a lack of experienced proceduralists (3). In 2011, our IM residency program created an MPS led by […]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a goal-directed ultrasound exam performed by a healthcare provider to answer a specific question or guide performance of an invasive procedure at the bedside. The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) and the American College of Physicians (ACP) support the integration of POCUS into graduate medical education (GME).Emergency medicine (EM) […]

Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) is commonly needed in hospitalized patients for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Traditional landmark identification by palpation of the lumbar spine and pelvis often has a low success rate. There is strong evidence showing that the use of ultrasound leads to higher success rates, along with other important patient-centered outcomes such […]

Background: Medicine procedure services (MPS) increasingly perform bedside procedures such as lumbar puncture (LP). While rates of major complications are low, success rates in the literature are widely variable and dependent on patient body habitus, patient positioning, operator experience, and use of ultrasound guidance.1 Many trainees report discomfort with their skill in performing and supervising […]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a diagnostic tool that is being increasingly utilized within the hospitalist sector of internal medicine; however, there is currently no summative source of information for POCUS in perioperative medical management. To address this gap in knowledge, we conducted a systematic review of studies assessing the impact of POCUS on clinical […]

Background: Heart Failure (HF) is among the top 10 causes of hospitalization and almost a fifth are readmitted within 30 days. Clinical assessment of lung congestion is subjective and patients may be discharged prior to good resolution. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is helpful in evaluating lung congestion. The presence of B-lines on LUS can reliably indicate […]

Background: Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has been used to improve diagnostic accuracy and provide earlier and more focused treatment intervention. Although hospital-based clinicians are prime candidates for utilizing this skill, very few regularly integrate POCUS into their clinical practice after completing a training course. This study sought out to identify the facilitators and barriers […]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound is defined as a goal-directed, bedside ultrasound examination performed by a health care provider to answer a specific diagnostic question or to guide the performance of an invasive procedure. Its use has been endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, and the Society of Hospital Medicine. Yet […]

Background: Mounting evidence demonstrates the benefits of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for patient care and the development of this important skill for trainees. Residency programs are implementing various strategies to teach POCUS. However, a common barrier to a safe and robust POCUS curriculum is the limited number of POCUS-competent faculty able to provide support and supervision […]