Point-of-care ultrasound

Point-of-care ultrasound (POC-US) refers to the use of portable ultrasonography at a patient's bedside for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It has been used for a long time in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Recently, its application extended to emergency and critical care medicine, including neonatal intensive care. POC-US encompasses all organ systems and has well defined and persistently evolving indications. At the same time, it is focused, quick and doesn’t expose patients to ionizing radiation—all great benefits. POC-US has the potential to revolutionize patient care. It is a highly valuable complement to reviewing the patient’s medical history and conducting a physical exam.

POC-US is not as widely used as it could be mainly due to a lack of efficient and attractive training solutions, followed by the structured quality check assurance. In an effort to help bridge this gap, we at Cohen Children’s have developed creative and intuitive neonatal POC-US applications, based on the most current literature. Our program is one of the first programs in the U.S. that is moving toward a structured POC-US physician training and credentialing. It’s expected to empower our neonatologists in offering the highest, cutting-edge level of care. Our ultimate goal is developing robust clinical resources that will positively impact neonatal healthcare delivery and outcomes, further setting us apart as leaders in the field of neonatal intensive care.

We are also active members of the Northwell Health Ultrasound Task Force. This group incorporates radiology experts and clinicians from across the health system who are working on POC-US educational pathways that will be recognized by American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine. In addition, our clinicians have written several articles on the topic published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as presented their scientific data at the most prestigious conferences.