Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38581600›Full record

ArticleRheumatology and therapy2024

Current Use and Barriers to Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Rheumatology: A National Survey of VA Medical Centers.

Ayesha Iqbal, Madiha Ahmad, Kevin J Murray, Jison Sim, Terry J S Lund, Anthony J Andrade, Ariadna Perez-Sanchez, Michael J Mader, Elizabeth K Haro, Jason P Williams and 2 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Rheumatology and therapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03296280 (Evaluation of Implementation of a National Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training Program), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03296280 completednot on this map

Evaluation of Implementation of a National Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training Program

TypeobservationalSponsorVA Office of Research and DevelopmentRan2016 to 2020Enrolled116ConditionsOther Acute Illnesses Presenting to the Hospital, Heart Failure, Pneumonia, Deep Venous Thrombosis
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Ayesha IqbalMedicine Service, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Madiha AhmadMedicine Service, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Kevin J MurrayMedicine Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-1228-1806
Jison SimMedicine Service, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Terry J S LundMedicine Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-2005-4396
Anthony J AndradeMedicine Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-6612-8408
Ariadna Perez-SanchezDivision of Hospital Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7885, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-4615-2812
Michael J MaderResearch Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0341-0641
Elizabeth K HaroResearch Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Jason P WilliamsMedicine Service, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Robert NathansonMedicine Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4443-7525
Nilam J SoniMedicine Service, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA. sonin@uthscsa.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8460-0323
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · USEmory Healthcare · USEmory University Hospital · USLouis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · USSouth Texas Veterans Health Care System · US

Funding

HSRD VA I50 HX002263
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can assist rheumatologists in monitoring disease activity, establishing diagnoses, and guiding procedural interventions. POCUS use has been increasing, but little is known about current use and barriers among rheumatologists. The purpose of this study was to characterize current POCUS use, training needs, and barriers to use among rheumatologists in practice.

methodsA prospective observational study of all Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers was conducted using a web-based survey sent to all chiefs of staff and rheumatology chiefs about current POCUS use, training needs, barriers, and policies.

resultsAll chiefs of staff (n = 130) and rheumatology chiefs at VA medical centers (n = 95) were surveyed with 100% and 84% response rates, respectively. The most common diagnostic POCUS applications were evaluation of synovitis, joint effusion, tendinopathies, bursitis, and rotator cuff. The most common procedural applications were arthrocentesis and joint, bursa, and tendon injection. Most rheumatology chiefs (69%) expressed interest in training for their group. The most common barriers to POCUS use were lack of trained providers (68%), funding for training (54%), training opportunities (38%), funding for travel (38%), and ultrasound equipment (31%). Lack of POCUS infrastructure was common, and few facilities had POCUS policies (20%), image archiving (25%), or quality assurance processes (6%).

conclusionCurrently, half of rheumatology groups use diagnostic and procedural ultrasound applications. Most rheumatology groups desire training, and lack of training and equipment were the most common barriers to ultrasound use. Deliberate investment is needed in ultrasound training and infrastructure for systematic adoption of POCUS in rheumatology. Graphical Abstract available for this article.

trial registrationNCT03296280.

Indexed as

BarriersMusculoskeletal ultrasoundPOCUSPoint of care ultrasoundTraining

Identifiers

PMID38581600
PMCPMC11111613
OpenAlexW4394013542

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.