Background: There is growing interest in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for addressing clinical questions at the bedside, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU), where it is widely used by intensivists. This trend has prompted education initiatives for residents across various specialties, including internal medicine, emergency medicine, anesthesia, and pediatrics. While several studies focus on training [...]

Background: Lumbar punctures (LPs) are common among hospitalized patients and many institutions have implemented a hospital medicine procedure services (HMPS) to perform these routine bedside procedures. Most clinicians learn to perform this procedure using the midline (ML), landmark-guided approach which involves palpation of the lumbar spine but this technique is associated with failure rates as [...]

Background: Diagnosis of complications is important for patient care, diagnostic quality, and safety. Paracentesis is a common procedure among hospitalized patients. The use of ultrasound decreases complications and improves safety. We aimed to characterize the complication rate observed among paracenteses performed by a hospital medicine bedside procedures service (MPS) before and after a transition to [...]

Background: Mounting evidence supports the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in medicine and pediatrics to improve outcomes, maximize patient safety, and increase patient satisfaction and success of procedures.The literature describes the utility of POCUS in several areas of pediatric care (the emergency department, pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit, and post-acute care setting), however, we [...]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a growing interest in pediatric hospital medicine, however few Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) fellowships incorporate POCUS training formally into their curriculum. POCUS can expedite treatment and improve care for patients in resource-limited settings or when specialists are not immediately available. POCUS can also help PHM fellows bring residents back to [...]

Background: Gastric Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), has been validated for perioperative pulmonary aspiration risk reduction, but data on medical inpatients is lacking (1). Inpatients often have multiple risk factors for delayed gastric emptying, but may need urgent surgery or procedures. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), a fasting period of 2, 6, and 8 [...]

Background: Left atrial enlargement (LAE) is a common disorder that is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is frequently used to assess for LAE. However, prior studies reported only modest test characteristics with sensitivity, specificity, and 60-75% accuracy using outdated gold standard reference ranges. This study was designed to determine the [...]

Background: The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by hospitalists is rapidly evolving and is variable between hospital medicine groups and individuals. Although POCUS has been shown to increase patient satisfaction in the emergency department and primary care settings, little is known about hospitalized patients’ perspectives on POCUS in their care. POCUS allows patients the opportunity [...]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become an invaluable tool for quickly diagnosing numerous diseases and procedural guidance. Implementation of POCUS in emergency departments has resulted in reduced length of stay, mortality, and costs. Many applications of POCUS may apply to hospital medicine, yet how well data from other settings applies to inpatient medicine remains unclear. [...]

Background: Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a growing field with an evidence-base across most clinical specialties. National surveys have shown student, resident, and fellowship training opportunities are increasing, but report lack of experience faculty as the primary barrier to POCUS use. The most effective faculty training programs include longitudinal training and mentorship. Unfortunately, few [...]