This document discusses turning up the gain on pre-hospital ultrasound use. It proposes two studies: 1) A 1000 patient randomized trial of pre-hospital ultrasound use for major presentations to evaluate costs and benefits. Paramedics would perform ultrasounds and transmit scans/videos via satellite for remote advice. 2) A 1000 patient study validating pre-hospital ultrasound's accuracy in detecting limb fractures compared to radiography. The document outlines challenges including potential confounding factors and the need for broad patient-focused outcomes. It advocates training paramedics to perform focused scans that could impact treatment and inform remote specialists.
32. The obvious precedent /
analogy
• 50% of all patients receiving ECG tele-
advice from a CCU nurse resulting in
pre-hospital thrombolysis prior to arrival
at Inverness hospital had journey times
to hospital greater than 30 mins.
• The relative benefit of stopping,
performing ECG, transmitting and
awaiting advice has now been
established.
33. Meanwhile in the rest of the world……
• Very apparent practice creep
• Ultrasounds appearing at the roadside in
increasing numbers of pre-hospital
services
• Remains an evidence poor area
• Small scale trials likely to swing academic
opinion in either direction on little or no
scientific basis
34. WHAT ARE THE BIG QUESTIONS in PH-
POCUS?
- does it make a difference
- which scans make a difference
- does it take too long
- who should do it
- how long does it take to acquire
competency
- should it only be done en route or in
the trapped patient, ie never when it
prolongs scene time
35.
36. WHAT ARE THE BIG QUESTIONS in PH-
POCUS?
- does it make a difference - YES
- which scans make a difference – BIG
ONES
- does it take too long - NO
- who should do it – THE PERSON WITH
THE Pt
- we don’t get radiologists to teach
POCUS to bedside clinicians, why
should in hospital clinicians teach pre-
37. SO….the big plan
Evaluate the costs and
benefits of ambulance to
hospital satellite comms
and ultrasound scanning
• 2 studies:
– A 1000 patient randomised
controlled trial of POCUS for
major presentations
– A 1000 patient validation study
about the accuracy of detection
of limb fractures with PoCUS in
38. Satellite transmission of major
presentations trial
• 5 SAS Highland ambulances equipped with
ultrasound machines, satellite
communications technology, webcams
• Patients randomised: machine either switched
on or not
• Video precis of patient story and scan
performed with fixed time limit of possible
scanning/sending process
• Ultrasounds, video and remote advice
received via satellite communications system
• Patient follow-up after 6 months with QoL
39. Fracture diagnosis trial
• Can ultrasound used by paramedics at
scene have diagnostic equivalence to
radiography for long bone fractures?
• Paramedics to record a clinical
judgement based on ultrasound scans
• Scans to be recorded and expert opinion
given
• Clinical judgements and expert opinion to
be compared with X-rays
41. Pre-hospital research:
land of the endless
confounders
• Hawthorn effect on paramedic and
receiving consultant as neither blinded to
subject arm
• Pre-hospital US may just trigger
increased likelihood of US in resus with
associated benefits
• Main benefit may just come from video
precis of patient with good handover
rather than the subsequent ultrasound
42. Pre-hospital research:
land of the endless
confounders• Hence the decision to do a 1000
patient study with 5 separate
ambulance stations/teams involved
and to aim for broad but patient-
focussed endpoints of EQ5D and
mortality
• This is a real world, real service
study. If you were reviewing an
ultrasound, you want to know about
the patient
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48. Processes
InvolvedTraining of ambulance personnel,
communications, firewall access
(CRH/NHSH/SAS)
• Recruitment and awareness sessions,
• Ultrasound introduction days,
• Practice with protocols and road-testing of
processes,
• Design of video training packages and aide-
memoires for vehicles
• Image review practice sessions for receiving
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55. 1 - IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FUND YOUR
HYDROGEN POWERED ROCKET SHIP,
FIRST DEMONSTRATE YOU CAN WORK A
BBQ
56.
57. 2 - IF YOU ARE CONVINCED
THAT ONLY ONE TYPE OF
PERSON CAN LEARN A
CERTAIN SKILL, YOU ARE
LIKELY ARROGANT, LAZY OR
INSANE… and with technical
skills like ultrasound, you are
unlikely to be correct
58.
59. 3- EVERYONE WANTS A MAGIC
TECHNO BOX
THAT INSTANTLY GIVES A CLEAR
DIAGNOSIS