What’s the Point (of care)? Happy patients. Happy providers.

While ultrasounds can help providers quickly find or rule out abnormalities and help them make a diagnosis and build a treatment plan, Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a safe tool for providers to use during their clinical assessment at the bedside.

POCUS is used in a variety of different settings throughout NVRH. For example, providers in outpatient settings such as the Emergency Department, Urology, the Women’s Wellness Center, the Birth Center, and Pulmonology as well as providers in inpatient setting such as the ICU and Med-Surg unit all use POCUS.

POCUS has many benefits. For one thing, it is simply faster and more convenient for patients to receive a POCUS than to schedule an ultrasound with Diagnostic Imaging. This means patients may be able to avoid having to make multiple trips to the hospital. And, not only does evidence show that these ultrasounds reduce hospital stays, it shows that using ultrasound at the bedside provides better patient outcomes.

Curious about performing POCUS?

Providers who perform bedside ultrasounds have received specialized training and have been approved through the NVRH credentialing process. There are different training pathways, including the use of a program called SonoSim, which is provided free of charge by NVRH.

For more information, contact the Medical Staff Office or the Point of Care Ultrasound Administrator, Yvette Koslowsky.