POCUS PATHWAY
Title
Effect of a Point-Of-Care Ultrasound-Driven vs Standard Diagnostic Pathway on 24-Hour Hospital Stay in Emergency Department Patients with Dyspnea — a Randomized Controlled Trial
Aim
The primary aim of the study is to determine the effect of a point-of-care ultrasound-driven diagnostic pathway in dyspneic ED patients on 24-hour hospital stay when compared to standard diagnostic pathway
Methods
The POCUS PATHWAY-trial is a multi-center, randomized, investigator-initiated, open labelled, pragmatic, controlled trial of a point-of-care ultrasound-driven diagnostic pathway vs standard diagnostic pathway in dyspneic emergency department patients. The primary outcome will be 24-hour hospital stay and 642 patients will be included. Key secondary outcomes include overall hospital length of stay, image resources, and 72-hour revisits.
Setting
Emergency departments in Horsens, Gødstrup, Aarhus, Randers, Odense, Køge, Esbjerg, Viborg, Slagelse, Kolding, Nordsjælland, and Herlev.
Perspectives
This Ph.D. project will give a perspective on medical testing that is regularly called for and is highly discussed, i.e., by the Choosing Wisely initiative. Previously, the value of point-of-care ultrasound has mainly been judged by the trueness of its result in diagnostic accuracy studies investigating clinical performance (essentialism).
This Ph.D. project will assess the value of point-of-care ultrasound by investigating the value of its consequences in the review and randomized controlled trial that both focus on clinical benefit (consequentialism). We expect this knowledge will gain substantial awareness within this research field and the RCT is designed to guide future clinical practice.
Primary investigator
Stig Holm Ovesen.
Sponsor
Stig Holm Ovesen and Jesper Weile.
Funder
Puljen til styrkelse af sundhedsforskning i Region Midtjylland, Frimodt-Heineke Fonden, and Riisfort Fonden.
