Diagnostic Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Recommendations from an Expert Panel

Abstract Diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) has emerged as a powerful tool to help anesthesiologists guide patient care in both the perioperative setting and the subspecialty arenas. Although anesthesiologists can turn to guideline statements pertaining to other aspects of ultrasound use, to date there remains little in the way of published guidance regarding diagnostic PoCUS. Toward this end, in 2018 the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) chartered an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of 23 ASA members to provide recommendations on this topic. The Ad Hoc convened and developed a Committee Work Product. That Work Product was updated in 2021 by an Expert Panel of the Ad Hoc Committee to produce the document presented here. The document - representing the consensus opinion of a group of practicing anesthesiologists with established expertise in diagnostic ultrasound – addresses the following issues: (1) affirms the practice of diagnostic PoCUS by adequately trained anesthesiologists; (2) identifies the scope of practice of diagnostic PoCUS relevant to anesthesiologists; (3) suggests the minimum level of training needed to achieve competence; (4) provides recommendations for how diagnostic PoCUS can be used safely and ethically; and (5) provides broad guidance about diagnostic ultrasound billing.