Academic Journal
Utility of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) in Intermediate and Long-Term Care Geriatric Settings.
| Τίτλος: | Utility of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) in Intermediate and Long-Term Care Geriatric Settings. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Sánchez-Rodríguez JL; Department of Geriatrics, Hospital de la Santa Creu, Tortosa, Tarragona, Spain. Electronic address: joseluis.sanchez@saluttortosa.cat., Gonzalez-Casanova AM; Department of Geriatrics, Hospital de la Santa Creu, Tortosa, Tarragona, Spain., Abramson L; Division of Geriatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA., Martínez-Almazán E; Department of Geriatrics, Hospital de la Santa Creu, Tortosa, Tarragona, Spain. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of the American Medical Directors Association [J Am Med Dir Assoc] 2026 Sep; Vol. 27 (9), pp. 106366. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 17. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 100893243 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1538-9375 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 15258610 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Am Med Dir Assoc Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2005- : [New York?] : Elsevier Original Publication: Hagerstown, MD : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, c2000- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Geriatric Assessment*/methods , Point-of-Care Systems* , Long-Term Care* , Intermediate Care Facilities*, Ultrasonography/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Male ; Aged |
| Περίληψη: | Objectives: To assess the utility of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the clinical evaluation of older adults within intermediate and long-term care (LTC) settings. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional, single-center study. Setting and Participants: Individuals aged 65 years or older who underwent PoCUS during the study period (March 1, 2022-March 31, 2025) within an intermediate care center and its affiliated LTC units. Methods: A geriatrician trained in multiorgan PoCUS performed the ultrasounds at the request of the attending physicians, all of whom were directly involved in the patient's care at a post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) facility. Each case followed an individualized PoCUS protocol based on specific clinical questions to be answered. Clinical, functional, frailty, and ultrasound data were collected from medical records for analysis. Results: Among 2563 individuals treated at PALTC, 315 PoCUS scans were conducted on 244 patients (mean age, 86 ± 8.6 years). Most exams (62%) were done in the subacute unit, with 19% performed in LTC and 14% in the functional recovery unit. PoCUS was mainly used to support physical examinations (23%); its findings confirmed clinical suspicion in about one-third of cases, ruled clinical suspicion out in another third, led to new and unsuspected diagnoses in a quarter of patients, and was used for follow-ups or guided procedures in the rest. PoCUS led to treatment changes in 56% of cases, avoided 47 (17%) unnecessary transfers to the emergency department, and avoided the performance of 35 (11%) of invasive procedures. Attending physicians indicated a reduction in clinical uncertainty in 96% of cases. Conclusions and Implications: PoCUS supports the clinical assessment and management of older adults in PALTC settings, potentially improving clinical decision-making, identifying new pathologies, guiding treatment, promoting safer procedures, and reducing unnecessary referrals and interventions. However, effective use and feasibility depend on adequate training and education. (Copyright © 2026 Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Disclosure The authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Point-of-care ultrasound; geriatrics; intermediate care; post-acute and long-term care; ultrasonography |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260717 Date Completed: 20260904 Latest Revision: 20260912 |
| Update Code: | 20260912 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jamda.2026.106366 |
| PMID: | 42468061 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1538-9375 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jamda.2026.106366 |