CLINICAL AND HEALTHCARE IMPACTS OF PORTABLE ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN AMBULATORY CARE MUSCULOSKELETAL REHABILITATION CONSULTATIONS

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the impact of Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in musculoskeletal consultations out of hospital using a Philips Lumify portable ultrasound device. We aimed to determine the impact of POCUS on the number of hospital referrals for injections as well as on the number of injections performed in consultation. DESIGN: Retrospective case study comparing 2 periods: June to September 2021 (pre-POCUS) and November 2021 to February 2022 (POCUS). Statistical comparisons were performed using the χ(2). In both periods, 21 medical consultations were performed. In the pre-POCUS period, 470 patients were assessed, with an average of 1.29 hospital referrals made per day of consultation for hospital injections and an average of 2.05 injections performed per day of medical consultation. In the POCUS period, 589 patients were assessed, with an average of 0.1 hospital referrals per day (−92.6%; p < 0.00001) and an average of 2.76 injections performed per day (+34.9%; p < 0.00001). The introduction of POCUS at our practice reduced the number of hospital referrals made for injections and increased the number of injections performed every day of consultation. CONCLUSION: This suggests that POCUS is of great clinical value in out-of-hospital musculoskeletal rehabilitation consultations. Lay Abstract This study provides insight into the clinical impact of portable ultrasound in rehabilitation consultations performed out of the Hospital in a Primary care center. The aims of this study are to measure the number of hospital referrals for therapeutic injections as well as on the number of injections performed in every consultation. In this study, 2 periods were compared. It was found that the introduction of POCUS at our practice reduced the number of hospital referrals to perform challenging injections and increased the number of injections performed during consultations. Portable ultrasound appears to be of clinical value in musculoskeletal rehabilitation consultations performed out of hospital settings.