Home Carilion Clinic partners with regional EMS teams for ultrasound research
Local News

Carilion Clinic partners with regional EMS teams for ultrasound research

Contributors
police-fire-ems
(© annette shaff – stock.adobe.com)

Providers from Carilion Clinic and first responders in Botetourt County, the City of Roanoke and the City of Salem are teaming up in a study to determine if ultrasound tools can help to diagnose respiratory distress more accurately during local emergency response calls.

In addition to local EMS partners, Carilion’s Life-Guard crews are also participating in the study.

There are many potential causes for breathing difficulties. Currently, EMS providers use a standard assessment including medical history, a stethoscope and checking oxygen levels to determine the best treatment on the scene of the emergency.

“There are certain causes of respiratory distress such as pneumonia, however, that may better be detected using bedside lung ultrasound technology,” said Carol Bernier, MD, Carilion Emergency Medicine physician and primary investigator for the study. “By working with our EMS partners, we hope to explore the application of that technology in the first response setting.”

With support from Carilion’s Research Acceleration Program, nine ultrasounds were purchased as tools for local EMS providers because some studies have shown that the ultrasound technology can determine lung distress with 90% accuracy.

“Respiratory distress is one of the most frequent calls that we respond to, accounting for around 10 percent of our activations,” said Jason Ferguson, Chief of Botetourt Fire & EMS. “We are excited for the opportunity to participate with our City of Roanoke and Salem peers in this research, ultimately helping us to best serve our communities and aid in respiratory distress response.”

The goal of this study is to provide a diagnostic tool for prehospital advanced life support providers to better identify the cause for a patient’s shortness of breath, aiding in prompt diagnosis and better treatment prior to the patient getting to the hospital. To do this, the research will investigate if paramedics are able to successfully use the ultrasound image of the lung while in the field after going through a short educational course.

Researchers started obtaining ultrasound scans in October, and the study will conclude once 200 ultrasound scans are collected: 100 scans from respiratory patients and 100 from control group patients.

“Through this study, we are interested in the potential benefits of patients having access to this level of technology before they even arrive at the hospital,” said Harrison Brookeman, EMT-I, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Class of 2022. “Nationally, this tool has proven beneficial for EMS agencies, and we are excited to study its application locally in our communities.”

To learn more about Carilion’s Research and Development work, visit CarilionClinic.org.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.

Latest News

How to Bet On the Daytona 500 in California
Sports

How to Bet On the Daytona 500 in California

ron sanchez uva basketball vt
Basketball, Sports

The tweak UVA Basketball coach Ron Sanchez would need if he were to get the job full time

One lesson Ron Sanchez could take with him into next year, if he, indeed, ends up getting the UVA Basketball job on a full-time basis after the season, would be, succession planning.

george mason
Basketball, Sports

George Mason rallies, beats Saint Joseph’s, to stay atop A-10 standings

George Mason took the lead for good on a Brayden O’Connor bucket with 1:18 to go, then got a couple of stops on defense to complete the 58-57 win over Saint Joseph’s, to maintain the lead in the A-10.

isaac mckneely uva basketball
Basketball, Sports

Five Observations: UVA Basketball gets more good offense in road win

Daytona 500 Odds, Picks, & How To Bet
NASCAR

Daytona 500 Odds, Picks, & How To Bet

uva basketball
Basketball, Sports

Live Coverage: UVA Basketball grits out 73-70 win at Virginia Tech

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in Florida
Sports News

How To Bet On The Daytona 500 in Florida