Study Shows Point-of-Care Ultrasound Appropriate for 9.2% of Urgent Care Encounters
New research published in the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine demonstrates that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can be used effectively and sustainably in urgent care centers. The retrospective study analyzed 10,000 randomly selected adult encounters from 62 urgent care centers across four U.S. states, drawn from over 380,000 encounters between June 2023 and November 2024.
Key Study Findings
Researchers found that 922 encounters (9.2%) would have been appropriate for POCUS use. The paper assessed both clinical applicability and financial modeling, concluding that POCUS can be clinically appropriate and financially viable in urgent care settings with typical patient volumes.
Unlike traditional X-ray systems, handheld ultrasound devices are portable and do not use ionizing radiation. Device costs have declined, with some systems priced near $5,000. Some platforms incorporate AI features for image acquisition guidance. Dr. Josh Russell, MSc, chief medical officer of UCP Merchant Medicine, stated: “Our findings support my belief that POCUS adoption would enhance clinical operations while being revenue neutral or positive.”
Growing Urgent Care Utilization
The Health Care Cost Institute found urgent care visits increased 34.5% between 2018 and 2022, with spending rising 50%. Integration with PACS systems for image storage and sharing and emerging 3D ultrasound technologies further expand POCUS diagnostic possibilities.
Future Perspectives
With continuing device miniaturization, cost reduction, and AI integration, POCUS is expected to become increasingly prevalent in urgent and primary care settings, democratizing access to ultrasound diagnostics.
Source: DOTmed HealthCare Business News
