Emergency clinician performed ultrasound: Availability, uses and credentialing in Australian emergency departments

OBJECTIVE: To determine the current availability, uses and credentialing processes of emergency clinician performed ultrasound (EDUS) in Australian ED. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of Australian ED that are accredited for advanced training. RESULTS: Ninety-four per cent of respondents (67/71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 86-98%) reported availability of EDUS. Availability was similar in both major referral and non-major referral ED. The most common uses for EDUS were focused abdominal sonography for trauma in 93% (62/67, 95% CI 83-97%), vascular access procedures in 90% (60/67, 95% CI 80-95%) and abdominal aortic aneurysm assessment in 88% of respondents (59/67, 95% CI 78-94%). Of the 67 departments with EDUS availability, 60% (40/67, 95% CI 48-71%) had a credentialing process. Of the major referral group 80% (20/25, 95% CI 61-91%) had a credentialing process compared with 52% (20/42, 95% CI 33-62%) in the non-major referral group. CONCLUSION: Emergency department ultrasound is widely available in Australia. Only 60% of surveyed ED had a credentialing process in place for EDUS. This may be of concern given the current Australasian College for Emergency Medicine policy regarding EDUS.