Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate a group of emergency physicians with Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) certification and fellowship training who utilize their ultrasound diagnosis in routine clinical care. While this level of training is likely to be higher than what should be required of most emergency physicians for routine focused ultrasonography, it is an ideal population to evaluate the potential for emergency physicians with a competency in ultrasound. Cholecystitis was chosen as the ultrasound study to investigate because it is a common disease process that presents emergently, is largely reliant on radiological diagnosis, and benefits from expedient management. In the 25 positive cases where a positive ED ultrasound was performed, a further radiological study followed in 86% of the cases. This study asks the question ‘how much would have been saved if these tests were not performed’?
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