Policy statement
Emergency Ultrasound Guidelines

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Section snippets

Section 1: Introduction

Emergency ultrasound has seen its clinical use expand greatly since its original application in emergency medicine decades ago.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 The use of emergency ultrasound is now widespread at both community and academic hospitals of all sizes and also by medical personnel in out-of-hospital scenarios.6, 7, 8 Focused emergency ultrasound is utilized to diagnose acute life-threatening conditions, guide invasive procedures, and treat emergency medical conditions and has ultimately improved the

Section 2: Scope of Practice

Emergency ultrasound is the medical use of ultrasound technology for the bedside diagnostic evaluation of emergency medical conditions and diagnoses, resuscitation of the acutely ill, critically ill or injured, guidance of high risk or difficult procedures, monitoring of certain pathologic states and as an adjunct to therapy. Emergency ultrasound examinations are performed and interpreted by emergency physicians or those under the supervision of emergency physicians in the setting of the ED or

Section 3: Training and Proficiency

Emergency ultrasound requires emergency physicians to become knowledgeable in the indications for ultrasound applications, competent in image acquisition and interpretation, and able to integrate the findings appropriately in the clinical management of his or her patients.58 These various aspects of the clinical use of emergency ultrasound all require proper education and training. The ACGME mandates procedural competency for all EM residents in emergency ultrasound as it is considered a “skill

Section 4: Credentialing

Physician credentialing is the process of gathering information regarding a physician's qualifications for appointment to the medical staff. Credentialing defines a physician's scope of practice and the clinical services he or she may provide, and ensures that the physician provides services within the scope of privileges granted.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) believes that the exercise of clinical privileges in the ED is governed by the rules and regulations of the

Section 5: Emergency Ultrasound Continuous Quality Management

In order to ensure quality, facilitate education, and satisfy credentialing pathways, a plan for emergency ultrasound quality assurance and improvement program should be in place. This plan should be integrated into the overall plan of the EM department. The facets of such a program are listed below and summarized in Appendix 6.

Section 6: Clinical Ultrasound Research

Our healthcare system has moved towards evidence-based medicine in an effort to achieve optimal cost-effective and efficient patient care outcomes. The medical literature demonstrates that emergency ultrasound has the ability to reduce the economic and human costs of unnecessary procedures, and to improve patient outcomes and experiences through early detection and better treatment options.

A key element of answering this challenge is outcome assessment research. In this case, the assessment of

Section 7: Future Issues

Emergency ultrasound is a rapidly growing subspecialty within emergency medicine but has roots and branches to all other disciplines, especially within clinical ultrasound. Several international and national ultrasound organizations have been interested and collegial in the development of this field.13, 74 Our leaders will continue to lead and liaison with other specialties interested in the use of ultrasound for clinical care, especially allied with the concept of clinical bedside ultrasound.

Section 8: Conclusion

Emergency medicine specialty-specific guidelines have been extensively updated and advanced to reflect current practice since the original publication in 2001. Emergency physicians or those who practice in emergency settings should utilize these guidelines for the initiation, development, training, credentialing, and future growth of their practice. Some physicians and programs may surpass many of these recommendations, while local circumstances may require modifications of these guidelines

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