Survey of Echocardiography Use in UK ICUs
Author Information
Author(s): Cooke A, Bruemmer-Smith S, McLoughlin J, McCaffrey J
Primary Institution: Belfast City Hospital
Hypothesis
What is the current state of echocardiography provision and practice in intensive care units in the United Kingdom?
Conclusion
Echocardiography is widely used in UK ICUs but often by physicians lacking formal training, with strong support for a national training program.
Supporting Evidence
- 53.13% of units have their own dedicated echocardiography machine.
- Only 15.6% of units have a transoesophageal probe.
- 28% of ITUs perform echocardiograms by intensivists.
- Only 25% of ITUs offer echocardiography training to intensive care trainees.
- 78% of respondents believe ITU physicians should have at least intermediate echocardiography skills.
- 97% of respondents support establishing a national training program for echocardiography.
Takeaway
Doctors in intensive care units use ultrasound to check hearts, but many haven't been properly trained, and everyone thinks they should be.
Methodology
A structured questionnaire was sent to each intensive care unit in the UK to gather information on echocardiography practices.
Limitations
The study may not represent all ICUs in the UK as responses were limited to 32 units.
Participant Demographics
Responses were obtained from 32 intensive care units of varying sizes across the UK.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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