New Year’s resolutions are a tradition that has existed throughout history and can involve personal ambitions and professional goals, all with the hope of improving oneself and the year to come.
However, resolutions are not restricted to individual goals. Just as people choose to set resolutions to better themselves in the new year, professional fields and organizations also establish their undertakings.
Each year, medicine resolves to continue our pursuit of shaping the world to ensure the highest healthcare standards are accessible on a global scale. From students entering medical programs, healthcare workers, physicians, doctors, physician assistants, and more, the medical community rallies around new advancements and discoveries to create a path forward in transforming patient care.
The Healthcare Landscape in 2020
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), 2020 has brought healthcare to the forefront of all facets of life. Frontline workers have continued to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of others during this unprecedented medical challenge. In our efforts to diagnose and combat this disease, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has proven instrumental.
According to the Butterfly Network, Inc, “Bedside ultrasound has been shown to have a valuable cross-specialty role in informing decisions around COVID-19 across the full spectrum of clinical management.” As a handheld, cost-effect modality, POCUS enables healthcare workers across specialties to enhance our ability to make more immediate, effective decisions on how to proceed with patient care.
POCUS has rapidly become recognized as a new standard for quality care due to advancements in technology and increased patient and practitioner knowledge. Its impact has not reached its peak, though, and consequently, as its capabilities improve, members of the healthcare community continue to remain committed to growing with it.
POCUS Resolutions
In conjunction with the changing landscape of medicine, the innovative nature of ultrasound provides us with an opportunity to dedicate ourselves to ongoing education. As new knowledge is available, the Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy™ (PCA) grows its repertoire of certificates and certifications to stay up-to-date with current innovations.
PCA has expanded our Musculoskeletal (MSK) Soft Tissue Certificate. We are now offering a certification that consists of three levels: Soft Tissue, Upper Extremity, and Lower Extremity. The use of POCUS in informing MSK diagnoses and treatment has steadily become recognized in recent years. Its advantages include:
- No ionizing radiation
- Lower cost compared to other modalities
- Utilized in real-time
- Enhanced patient’s experience.
The study Utility of point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound in the evaluation of emergency department musculoskeletal pathology emphasizes the impact POCUS can have. Researchers found that “musculoskeletal POCUS positively impacts patient management not only in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathology but also in the performance of musculoskeletal procedures.”
Further Enhancing the Medical Field with POCUS
While POCUS was initially designed for imaging and radiology, today it is recognized as a vital tool that transcends specialties. As new ultrasound innovations and information become available across disciplines, medical professionals look for opportunities to develop and employ our ultrasound skills.
The medical field is always evolving, and no matter where we are in our journey, the commitment to our mission remains the same: to improve global healthcare. Each year, we continue our pursuit of higher standards of care and use what we have learned to propel us into the next 365 days.
Welcome to 2021! We look forward to working with our fellow medical community in raising the healthcare bar worldwide!
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