GP Ultrasound Taster Day, Dublin – October 2024

The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin Airport will host the 1st ever point of care ultrasound (POCUS) taster day for GPs and GP trainees on October 3rd 2024. This follows the hugely successful longitudinal courses run over 2023 and 2024 with Promed.

Point-of-Care-Ultrasound (POCUS) refers to specific ultrasound exams that are performed at the bedside. POCUS examinations answer binary (yes / no) questions, which, in turn, help aid diagnosis and guide treatment. Typical binary questions that POCUS can answer in primary care include, is there pneumonia, is there a pleural effusion, is this decompensated CCF or COPD?

Other binary questions include are there renal stones, is there hydronephrosis, is the patient in urinary retention, is there a bowel obstruction or is there an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

Finally, questions relating to musculoskeletal symptoms can include is there a knee effusion, is there a muscular tear post an injury or
fall. POCUS can also be used to guide joint injections / aspirations, especially in smaller joints. The list is endless!!

POCUS protocols can be performed after relatively short training periods. POCUS is routinely taught in undergraduate education in the
US and in increasingly been used as an educational tool in European GP Training Schemes. 95% of German GPs perform POCUS and 90% of
exams can be performed in less than 10 minutes. POCUS increases diagnostic certainty and can lead to a change in patient management.

Across general practice, POCUS serves as an adjunct to the traditional physical examination of patients and POCUS has been found to ensure an earlier and more accurate diagnosis enhancing care of their patients in the community.