Milestones
Milestones
For any scan, each of the following four steps must be completed sequentially and competently performed to reduce errors and improve clinical utility.
1. Indications
2. Image Acquisition
3. Image Interpretation
4. Clinical Synthesis
For any scan, each of the following four steps must be completed sequentially and competently performed to reduce errors and improve clinical utility.
1. Indications
2. Image Acquisition
3. Image Interpretation
4. Clinical Synthesis
1. Indications:
Why is PoCUS being deployed? What is the clinical question that you would like to answer via the information derived from PoCUS? Can you even answer the question with PoCUS? Like any diagnostic action in medicine, do not perform it if you do not know what to do with the derived information - be it positive or negative. It may confound your judgment, or put you into a dilemma. In addition, you will be wasting time and energy.
Why is PoCUS being deployed? What is the clinical question that you would like to answer via the information derived from PoCUS? Can you even answer the question with PoCUS? Like any diagnostic action in medicine, do not perform it if you do not know what to do with the derived information - be it positive or negative. It may confound your judgment, or put you into a dilemma. In addition, you will be wasting time and energy.
2. Image Acquisition:
This refers to the act of attaining not only (a) the RELEVANT images/clips for the respective indication, but, also, (b) HIGH QUALITY images/clips for diagnostic purposes. Without a doubt this milestone, a procedural skill demanding dexterous refinement, requires a considerable amount of practice time to master. There simply is short-cut just like any Physical Examination maneuvers. You need both the correct and reliable information in order to proceed to the next milestone - interpreting the information.
This refers to the act of attaining not only (a) the RELEVANT images/clips for the respective indication, but, also, (b) HIGH QUALITY images/clips for diagnostic purposes. Without a doubt this milestone, a procedural skill demanding dexterous refinement, requires a considerable amount of practice time to master. There simply is short-cut just like any Physical Examination maneuvers. You need both the correct and reliable information in order to proceed to the next milestone - interpreting the information.
4. Clinical Synthesis:
After interpreting the study, the next step, then, is to incorporate the sonographic information with the clinical context. Does the PoCUS findings add to the case, or it does not? How has it affected your judgment and management? Remember, the PoCUS information is only part of the story. Do not weigh it heavier than any other information derived from the other methods especially if the former is inconsistent with latter. Use it accordingly.
After interpreting the study, the next step, then, is to incorporate the sonographic information with the clinical context. Does the PoCUS findings add to the case, or it does not? How has it affected your judgment and management? Remember, the PoCUS information is only part of the story. Do not weigh it heavier than any other information derived from the other methods especially if the former is inconsistent with latter. Use it accordingly.