Research Validates POCUS in Urgent Care
New research reveals that Point-Of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is both clinically and financially viable for use in urgent care settings. The findings are expected to fuel discussions about wider adoption of POCUS to improve diagnostic accuracy, lower costs, and enhance patient care in ambulatory environments.
- The research, co-authored by Dr. Josh Russell of UCP Merchant Medicine, analyzed 10,000 patient encounters in urgent care and found that 9.2% were appropriate for POCUS. This suggests a significant, untapped potential for its application in this setting. The study projected that implementing POCUS could be revenue-neutral or positive for urgent care centers with typical patient volumes. - The cost of POCUS technology has decreased significantly, with handheld devices now available for around $5,000, a steep drop from earlier models that cost upwards of $50,000. This lower entry cost makes adoption more feasible for outpatient clinics and mobile imaging providers. Medicare reimbursement rates for POCUS procedures in 2024 range from approximately $56 for a lung ultrasound to $117 for a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) ultrasound. - The adoption of POCUS is part of a broader trend of imaging services shifting from hospitals to outpatient settings. Approximately 40% of all radiology volume is now performed in outpatient imaging centers or clinics. This shift is driven by payers pushing for lower-cost care sites and by patient preference for more convenient access. - Health systems are actively developing "systemness" strategies to coordinate imaging services across their networks of hospitals and growing outpatient sites to capture this shifting volume. Strategies include acquiring or partnering with freestanding imaging centers and converting hospital-based imaging departments into independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTFs). - Artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into POCUS devices, which can guide novice users in acquiring diagnostic-quality images and automate some aspects of interpretation and reporting. This integration helps to overcome key barriers to wider adoption, such as limited provider training and the time required for documentation. - POCUS can serve as a solution to the ongoing shortage of radiologic technologists, as it enables clinicians to perform many essential imaging services without needing a dedicated rad tech. This is particularly relevant as patient volumes in urgent care centers are increasing, with a 34.5% rise in visits between 2018 and 2022. - Studies have shown that using POCUS can lead to significant cost savings by avoiding more expensive diagnostic tests. One Harvard study found that POCUS use resulted in average savings of $1,134 for privately insured patients by eliminating the need for further imaging. Another study on inpatient care demonstrated that POCUS availability was associated with a mean reduction in total hospitalization costs of $4,329. - The growth in outpatient imaging is projected to continue, with analysts from Sg2, a Vizient company, forecasting a 16% growth in ultrasound volume over the next decade. This growth is part of a larger trend that has seen Medicare outpatient imaging volumes increase by more than 60% in some areas over the past ten years.
