# Integration of Diagnostic Lung Ultrasound Into Clinical Practice by Hospitalists in an Academic Medical Center: A Retrospective Chart Review

## TL;DR

This study shows that lung ultrasound is a valuable tool for hospitalists, helping them make better decisions and change patient care during hospital stays.

## Contribution

The study provides real-world evidence of how lung ultrasound impacts clinical decision-making in hospitalist practice.

## Key findings

- Lung ultrasound was diagnostically useful in 90.1% of cases reviewed.
- Lung ultrasound changed patient management in 39.9% of cases.
- Documentation in the electronic health record was sufficient for evaluating clinical decision-making in 89% of cases.

## Abstract

Background

Point-of-care lung ultrasound (LUS) is a guideline-recommended imaging modality that has been shown to be more accurate than chest radiography for multiple causes of dyspnea. This study was conducted to understand the impact of LUS on real-world clinical decision-making among hospitalists.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients who received a LUS while hospitalized at a quaternary care academic medical center between July 2020 and June 2022. Data was extracted from the electronic health record (EHR) into a standardized REDCap form. Cases were defined as patients who had received a LUS that (1) had images archived and accessible to viewing through the EHR and (2) had an imaging report documented in the EHR.

Results

Of the 820 LUSs reviewed, 297 (36.2%) were performed to evaluate for appropriateness of thoracentesis, 205 (25%) for diagnosing or monitoring of pneumonia related to COVID-19, 169 (20.6%) for volume status assessment, 136 (16.6%) for worsening respiratory status, 114 (13.9%) for monitoring pleural effusions, 64 (7.8%) for diagnosing or monitoring of pneumonia not related to COVID-19, and 12 (1.5%) for monitoring of diuresis. Documentation was sufficient to determine clinical decision-making in 730 (89%) of LUSs reviewed, 739 (90.1%) were considered to be diagnostically useful, and 327 (39.9%) changed management.

Conclusions

These findings suggest LUS was diagnostically useful and routinely changed management in hospitalist practice. Further, documentation in the EHR was sufficient to allow for the evaluation of real-world clinical decision-making using LUS, which is an important gap in both the education and health services research literature.