Teaching and use of bedside ultrasound in Colombia

An internal medicine perspective

Abstract

Ever since the invaluable contributions of Auenbrugger and Laennec, we had not experienced a physical exam revolution equal to the introduction of ultrasound performed by the patient’s clinician and/or attending physician. Ultrasound performed by clinical specialists in any area (hospital floors, intensive care, the emergency room, outpatient departments and even in the home) with different training backgrounds (emergency medicine specialists, internists, intensivists, anesthesiologists, pulmonologists, nephrologists, family medicine doctors, rheumatologists, general surgeons, etc.) has brought a new energy to the physical exam. The evidence of the impact of bedside ultrasound is growing and compelling in many aspects. Compared to the usual practice, it allows the clinician to not only make more accurate but also faster diagnoses and thus begin treatment sooner and, in some cases, improve clinical outcomes like emergency room visits, rehospitalizations, hospital stay, and clinical times, among others. This article relates how point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) emerged, how it is taught around the world, and what is being done in our country in different settings to make ultrasound performed by internists and subspecialists a reality in Colombian patient care