Twelve physicians at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) can now perform ultrasound scans at a patient’s bedside, after completing specialised training designed to speed up clinical decision-making in the Ambulatory Network.
The physicians participated in a two-and-a-half-day training programme from August 11 to 13 through GPHC’s ongoing collaboration with Mount Sinai International, according to a post on the hospital’s Facebook page.
Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) allows appropriately trained physicians to perform focused ultrasound assessments at the patient’s bedside, providing immediate information that can support clinical decision-making. Unlike conventional ultrasound examinations, which are generally conducted through the Radiology Department, the portable technology allows doctors to assess certain clinical concerns without always having to move the patient for an examination.
The training covered several applications, including cardiac and lung assessments, renal and biliary conditions, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
GPHC said POCUS is not intended to replace comprehensive diagnostic ultrasound or the role of the Radiology Department, but rather gives physicians an additional tool to support initial assessment, identify findings requiring further investigation and guide certain procedures.
The technology is not entirely new to GPHC, having been used in the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department for several years to support patient assessment and management. Targeted physician training has since helped to strengthen and standardise its use.
Following POCUS training for OBGYN physicians in 2025, the department reported 100 per cent compliance in conducting POCUS for patients at admission as of January, GPHC said.
The latest training is expected to further expand the use of bedside ultrasound across GPHC’s Ambulatory Network, as the hospital continues efforts to strengthen timely, technology-enabled patient care.
