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POCUS in Resource Limited Environments: Trish Henwood

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Synopsis

Trish Henwood talks on all things point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in resource limited environments. According to the World Health Organisation, 80-90% of all diagnostic problems can be solved by basic radiograph (x-ray) and ultrasound (US) examinations. However, the problem is that two-thirds of the world’s population currently has no access to imaging technologies. From refugee camps in Greece, to rural clinics in Australia, to Everest Base Camp, POCUS is one of the most powerful diagnostic and procedural tools in any austere clinical setting. This transformative technology allows front line providers who have direct responsibility for patient care to rule in or rule out diagnoses rapidly. Moreover, it ensures safety in performing procedures with real-time image guidance. For example, POCUS training can allow a midwife to identify a massive amount of free intra-abdominal fluid in a 30 year-old Ugandan mother presenting to gynaecology clinic with her third pregnancy and new abdominal pain. She can then notif