Emergency Ultrasound Service
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Emergency Department provides around the clock ultrasound coverage for the treatment of patients arriving in the Emergency Department (ED). This dedicated ED ultrasound service is directed by Beatrice Hoffmann, MD, board certified in emergency medicine, fellowship trained in ultrasound.
For the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residents (HAEMR) in our program, gaining expertise in emergency ultrasound is an important component of practicing emergency medicine today. It is a rapidly progressing area of emergency medicine that allows one to greatly expand and improve patient care. Residency is a ideal environment to learn about emergency ultrasound and to practice skills under the guidance of ultrasound-trained attendings.
The education of the emergency ultrasound residents is accomplished through a variety of methods. Residents are expected to use the ultrasound in the emergency department on a regular basis, acquire the skills to perform fundamental emergency ultrasound scans, and learn how to interpret the images. The most important aspect of their ultrasound education is performing the scans at the bedside of the patient, which can add a tremendous amount of information to the history and physical exam very quickly.
The overall goal of ultrasound education is to teach residents to perform and interpret high quality scans. With this important skill residents graduate confident in their ability to use the ultrasound to expedite and improve patient care.