This is a question that healthcare providers around the world and working in a whole host of different clinical disciplines are asking. You may have asked the same question. Perhaps you’re considering implementing point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) at your facility. Or maybe you already use it and have your own experiences to add to the conversation.
Whatever your own situation, POCUS is certainly a top trending topic in the world of ultrasound. And it’s one that Dr. David Tierney M.D, Program Director of the IMBUS program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN, feels strongly about. Dr. Tierney leverages Philips Lumify ultrasound to scan patients conveniently at the bedside, delivering care on the go.
Case study: Patient with an aortic valve vegetation
In one of his cases, Dr. Tierney treated a 22-year-old female patient with a history of asthma. She presented to the emergency department with fever, severe SOB and significant confusion and lethargy and was unable to provide any background. The initial concerns of the triage team assigned to her centered around a recurrent severe asthma exacerbation with an underlying bacterial infection or influenza and severe sepsis.
A physical exam, ECG and CXR were performed. The ECG was normal apart from sinus tachycardia and the CXR showed a subtle patchy bilateral interstitial infiltrate. The patient was admitted to the ICU.