Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Dec 11:15:36.
doi: 10.1186/s12873-015-0063-0.

A majority of rural emergency departments in the province of Quebec use point-of-care ultrasound: a cross-sectional survey

Pierre Léger  1 , Richard Fleet  2   3 , Julie Maltais-Giguère  4 , Jeff Plant  5   6 , Éric Piette  7 , France Légaré  8 , Julien Poitras  9   10
Affiliations

A majority of rural emergency departments in the province of Quebec use point-of-care ultrasound: a cross-sectional survey

Pierre Léger et al. BMC Emerg Med. .

Abstract

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can be used to provide rapid answers to specific and potentially life-threatening clinical questions, and to improve the safety of procedures. The rate of POCUS access and use in Canada is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine access to POCUS and potential barriers/facilitators to its use among rural physicians in Quebec.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study used an online survey. The 30-item questionnaire is an adapted and translated version of a questionnaire used in a prior survey conducted in rural Ontario, Canada. The questionnaire was pre-tested for clarity and relevance. The survey was sent to non-locum physicians working either full- or part-time in rural emergency departments (EDs) (n = 206). All EDs were located in rural and small towns and provided 24/7 medical coverage with acute care hospitalization beds.

Results: In total, 108 surveys were completed (participation rate = 52.4%). Of the individuals who completed surveys, ninety-three percent were family physicians, and seven percent had Canadian College of Family Physicians - Emergency Medicine (CCFP-EM) certification. The median number of years of practice was seven. A bedside ultrasound device was available in 95% of rural EDs; 75.9% of physicians reported using POCUS on a regular basis. The most common indications for POCUS use were to rule out abdominal aortic aneurysm (70.4%) and to evaluate presence of free fluid in trauma and intrauterine pregnancy (60%). The most common reason (73%) for not using POCUS was limited access to POCUS training programs. Over 40% of POCUS users received training in POCUS during medical school or residency. Sixty-four percent received training from the Canadian Emergency Ultrasound Society, 13% received training from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, and 23% were trained in another course. Finally, 95% of respondents reported that POCUS skills are essential for rural ED practice.

Conclusions: POCUS use in rural EDs in the province of Quebec appears to be relatively widespread. Access to training programs is a barrier to greater use.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Arienti V, Camaggi V. Clinical applications of bedside ultrasonography in internal and emergency medicine. Intern Emerg Med. 2011;6(3):195–201. doi: 10.1007/s11739-010-0424-3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Moore CL, Copel JA. Point-of-care ultrasonography. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(8):749–57. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra0909487. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lyon M, Blaivas M, Brannam L. Use of emergency ultrasound in a rural ED with limited radiology services. Am J Emerg Med. 2005;23(2):212–4. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2004.05.007. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Thomas HA, Beeson MS, Binder LS, Brunett PH, Carter MA, Chisholm CD, et al. The 2005 model of the clinical practice of emergency medicine: the 2007 update. Acad Emerg Med. 2008;15(8):776–9. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2008.00194.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. ACEP Emergency ultrasound guidelines. Ann Emerg Med. 2009;53(4):550–70. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2008.12.013. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types