ArticleJournal of general internal medicine2026
Not Just a Diagnostic Tool: A Qualitative Study Exploring How Patients Experience Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Acute Care.
Article in Journal of general internal medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundPoint-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is increasingly integrated into acute care for its diagnostic efficiency and accessibility. While prior studies associate PoCUS use with higher patient satisfaction, little is known about how patients themselves experience it as part of their care.
objectiveTo explore how patients experience PoCUS during acute care encounters and how it shapes their overall perception of care.
designQualitative study using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis within a constructivist paradigm.
participantsEighteen adult patients who underwent PoCUS during emergency department or inpatient general internal medicine assessments at a tertiary care academic hospital in Ottawa, Canada. APPROACH: Participants were recruited and interviewed at the bedside shortly after receiving PoCUS examinations. Transcripts were inductively coded and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework for reflexive thematic analysis. KEY
resultsThree interrelated themes captured how patients experienced PoCUS. First, PoCUS enhanced both emotional reassurance and physical convenience through real-time feedback and avoidance of transport to diagnostic areas. Second, patients perceived PoCUS as integrated within holistic, patient-centered care, where their impressions of PoCUS were intertwined with their impressions of the care they received overall. Third, patients' largely positive experiences were grounded in trust in their physicians despite and in the midst of limited technical understanding of PoCUS.
conclusionsOverall, patients had positive experience with PoCUS integration. With little technical knowledge of PoCUS, patients' positive views were shaped by trust and interaction with physicians. While supporting existing literature, our findings stress the need for clear communication and scope awareness. As PoCUS use increases in prevalence, it should be seen as both a diagnostic tool and a contributor to patient-centered care.
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