POCUS25 Research Study
In 2019, the POCUS Certification Academy launched POCUS25 – a participatory longitudinal research study designed to collect community feedback on 25 core practice domains in point-of-care ultrasound. Modeled after the Stanford 25, the POCUS25 will help direct the future of the rapidly-growing POCUS movement, providing community interest and insight on bedside ultrasound at the point of care as a guide for subsequent POCUS education and certification.
The POCUS25 is a psychometrically-validated list of universal practice protocols. With responses from over 50 countries thus far, we aim to achieve global participation from POCUS users in all 195 countries and territories! After reaching our threshold of responses needed, the POCUS25 study will be published for the global healthcare community to access and utilize for informed POCUS integration into all practice settings.
The POCUS25 practice domains have been published!
Data obtained from an initial set of 360 respondents from 51 countries has been used to compile an initial set of community-ranked, core competencies.
POCUS25 FAQs
What is POCUS25?
The POCUS25 is a list of 25 core practice domains for Point-of-Care Ultrasound
- based on POCUS community recommendations
- with potential to improve global health
- intended for everyone interested in POCUS for their medical practice
- designed to remain relevant, as it evolves with changes in technology
- inspired by the Stanford Medicine 25
What is the vision for POCUS25?
The vision for POCUS25 is to help promote POCUS to all healthcare providers, around the world.
The POCUS25 page will be
- an online resource about the POCUS25
- developed collaboratively with the global POCUS community
- will help make healthcare better
- improve patient care globally
Who should use POCUS25?
We believe that POCUS25 will be useful to all healthcare practitioners who
- assess patients at the point of care—anywhere, anytime
- have patients with conditions that can be quickly diagnosed with handheld ultrasound
Do I need to learn and be proficient in all POCUS25 procedures or protocols?
The need to be proficient in each POCUS25 procedure will be based on the individual healthcare provider’s needs.
- Primary care physicians may find all of the POCUS25 practices useful.
- On the other hand, practitioners who see only certain types of patients (e.g., cardiac) may restrict their training to those POCUS practices.
How will the POCUS25 stay current?
The POCUS25 list will be a “living” document and will evolve over time.
- Ongoing research and consultation with the global POCUS community will be used to periodically update the POCUS25.
Why is POCUS25 needed?
The POCUS25 list is needed to
- address a lack of clarity in the global medical community about the scope of POCUS
- bring uniformity and credibility to the POCUS movement
How was the initial POCUS25 list developed?
This initial POCUS25 list was developed by
- the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy’s internal team of clinicians
- in consultation with approximately 20 subject matter experts in the field of diagnostic ultrasound
- through a review of published research, manuscripts, society guidelines and recommendations for point-of-care ultrasound
What are the references for POCUS25?
The references provided below were used to develop the initial POCUS25 list. Over time this list will grow, as POCUS25 evolves.
References:
1) Spencer KT, Kimura BJ, Korcarz CE, et al. Focused Cardiac Ultrasound: Recommendations from the American Society of Echocardiography. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2013;26:567-81.
2) Ma IWY, Arishenkoff S, Wiseman J, Desy J, Ailon J, Martin L, Otremba M, Halman S, Willemot P, Blouw M, Canadian Internal Medicine Ultrasound (CIMUS) Group (2017) Internal Medicine Point-of-Care Ultrasound Curriculum: Consensus Recommendations from the Canadian Internal Medicine Ultrasound (CIMUS) Group. J Gen Intern Med 32(9):10527
3) Hoppmann RA, Rao VV, Bell F, et al. The Evolution of an Integrated Ultrasound Curriculum (iUSC) for Medical Students: 9-Year Experience. Critical Ultrasound Journal. 2015; 7:18
4) Schnobrich DJ, Gladding S, Olsen AP, Duran-Nelson A (2013) Point-of- Care Ultrasound in Internal Medicine: A National Survey of Educational Leadership. J Grad Med Educ. 5(3):498–502
5) American College of Emergency Physicians (2017) Ultrasound Guidelines: Emergency, Point-of-Care and Clinical Ultrasound Guidelines in Medicine. Ann Emergency Med 69(5): e27–e54
6) Klem DJ, Ratelle JT, Azeem N, Bonnes SL, Halvorsen AJ, Oxentenko AS et al (2015) Longitudinal Ultrasound Curriculum Improves Long-Term Retention Among Internal Medicine Residents. J Grad Med Educ. 7(3):454–457
7) Kimura BJ, Amundson SA, Phan JN, Agan DL, Shaw DJ (2012) Observations During Development of an Internal Medicine Residency Training Program in Cardiovascular Limited Ultrasound Examination. J Hosp Med. 7(7):537–542
8) Lewis D, Rang L, Kim D, Robichaud L, Kwan C, Pham C, Shefrin A, Ritcey B, Atkinson P, Woo M, Jelic T, Dallaire, G, Henneberry, R, Turner J, Andani R, Demsey R, Olszynksi P
Recommendations for the Use of Point-of-Care, Ultrasound (POCUS) by Emergency Physicians in Canada, CJEM.:1-6. doi:10.1017/cem.2019.392
How will POCUS25 be further refined?
The initial POCUS25 list will be refined through
- surveying a broad set of POCUS users
- e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, sonographers, and other healthcare professionals actively using point-of-care-ultrasound
- using this feedback, from the above-mentioned POCUS users, to produce an updated POCUS25 list
How can I participate?
Thank you for your interest in supporting the POCUS25 movement!
You can participate in several ways:
- complete the POCUS25 survey
- volunteer to be part of ongoing POCUS25 development efforts
- join the POCUS Certification Academy’s POCUS Community and share #POCUS25 with your social media network
- reach out to our team at POCUS@Inteleos.org
Contribute to POCUS25
We’re looking for your comments! Fill out the form to give us feedback on our POCUS25 research.
