Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study
Abstract Background Implementing Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in community practice could help to decide upon and prioritise initial treatment, procedures and appropriate specialist referral or conveyance to hospital. A recent literature review suggests that image quality, portability and cost o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09069-4 |
| _version_ | 1811175988610990080 |
|---|---|
| author | Joseph N.A Akanuwe Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena Luc Bidaut Pauline Mitchell Paul Bird Daniel Lasserson Patricia Apenteng Richard Lilford |
| author_facet | Joseph N.A Akanuwe Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena Luc Bidaut Pauline Mitchell Paul Bird Daniel Lasserson Patricia Apenteng Richard Lilford |
| author_sort | Joseph N.A Akanuwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Implementing Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in community practice could help to decide upon and prioritise initial treatment, procedures and appropriate specialist referral or conveyance to hospital. A recent literature review suggests that image quality, portability and cost of ultrasound devices are all improving with widening indications for community POCUS, but evidence about community POCUS use is needed in the UK. We aimed to explore views of clinical practitioners, actively using ultrasound, on their experiences of using POCUS and potential facilitators and barriers to its wider implementation in community settings in the UK. Methods We conducted a qualitative interview study with practitioners from community and secondary care settings actively using POCUS in practice. A convenience sample of eligible participants from different clinical specialties and settings was recruited using social media adverts, through websites of relevant research groups and snowball sampling. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted online using Microsoft Teams. These were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a Framework approach supported by NVivo 12. Results We interviewed 16 practitioners aged between 40 and 62 years from different professional backgrounds, including paramedics, emergency physicians, general practitioners, and allied health professionals. Participants identified key considerations and facilitators for wider implementation of POCUS in community settings in the UK: resource requirements for deployment and support of working devices; sufficient time and a skilled workforce; attention to training, education and support needs; ensuring proper governance, guidelines and quality assurance; workforce considerations; enabling ease of use in assisting decision making with consideration of unintended consequences; and more robust evidence to support perceptions of improved patient outcomes and experience. Conclusions POCUS could be useful for improving patient journey and health outcomes in community care, but this requires further research to evaluate outcomes. The facilitators identified could help make community POCUS a reality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:44:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e4afa6d6362343acb6ff909b77a53710 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:44:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e4afa6d6362343acb6ff909b77a537102023-01-29T12:07:47ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-01-0123111010.1186/s12913-023-09069-4Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview studyJoseph N.A Akanuwe0Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena1Luc Bidaut2Pauline Mitchell3Paul Bird4Daniel Lasserson5Patricia ApentengRichard Lilford6Community and Health Research Unit, School of Health and Social Care, University of LincolnCommunity and Health Research Unit, School of Health and Social Care, University of LincolnSchool of Computer Science, College of Science, University of LincolnSchool of Health and Social Care, University of LincolnInstitute for Translational Medicine Research & Development, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, West Midlands Academic Health Science NetworkWarwick Medical School, University of WarwickInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of BirminghamAbstract Background Implementing Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in community practice could help to decide upon and prioritise initial treatment, procedures and appropriate specialist referral or conveyance to hospital. A recent literature review suggests that image quality, portability and cost of ultrasound devices are all improving with widening indications for community POCUS, but evidence about community POCUS use is needed in the UK. We aimed to explore views of clinical practitioners, actively using ultrasound, on their experiences of using POCUS and potential facilitators and barriers to its wider implementation in community settings in the UK. Methods We conducted a qualitative interview study with practitioners from community and secondary care settings actively using POCUS in practice. A convenience sample of eligible participants from different clinical specialties and settings was recruited using social media adverts, through websites of relevant research groups and snowball sampling. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted online using Microsoft Teams. These were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a Framework approach supported by NVivo 12. Results We interviewed 16 practitioners aged between 40 and 62 years from different professional backgrounds, including paramedics, emergency physicians, general practitioners, and allied health professionals. Participants identified key considerations and facilitators for wider implementation of POCUS in community settings in the UK: resource requirements for deployment and support of working devices; sufficient time and a skilled workforce; attention to training, education and support needs; ensuring proper governance, guidelines and quality assurance; workforce considerations; enabling ease of use in assisting decision making with consideration of unintended consequences; and more robust evidence to support perceptions of improved patient outcomes and experience. Conclusions POCUS could be useful for improving patient journey and health outcomes in community care, but this requires further research to evaluate outcomes. The facilitators identified could help make community POCUS a reality.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09069-4Point of care ultrasoundCommunity practicePrimary carePrehospital careUltrasound practitionersFacilitators |
| spellingShingle | Joseph N.A Akanuwe Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena Luc Bidaut Pauline Mitchell Paul Bird Daniel Lasserson Patricia Apenteng Richard Lilford Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study BMC Health Services Research Point of care ultrasound Community practice Primary care Prehospital care Ultrasound practitioners Facilitators |
| title | Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study |
| title_full | Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study |
| title_fullStr | Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study |
| title_short | Practitioners’ views on community implementation of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the UK: a qualitative interview study |
| title_sort | practitioners views on community implementation of point of care ultrasound pocus in the uk a qualitative interview study |
| topic | Point of care ultrasound Community practice Primary care Prehospital care Ultrasound practitioners Facilitators |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09069-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josephnaakanuwe practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT aloysiusniroshansiriwardena practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT lucbidaut practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT paulinemitchell practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT paulbird practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT daniellasserson practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT patriciaapenteng practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy AT richardlilford practitionersviewsoncommunityimplementationofpointofcareultrasoundpocusintheukaqualitativeinterviewstudy |