# Evaluation of Implementation of a National Point-of-care Ultrasound Training Program

> **NIH VA I50** · SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2021 · —

## Abstract

Evaluation of Implementation of a National Point-of-care Ultrasound Training Program
Background: Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has been shown to reduce procedure-related
complications from invasive bedside procedures, reduce time to diagnosis, and reduce ancillary testing, which
ultimately reduces patient radiation exposure and healthcare costs. Despite its potential advantages, POCUS
has not been universally adopted in healthcare due to limited numbers of providers trained in use of POCUS.
The VHA's Simulation Learning, Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) and Specialty Care Centers of
Innovation (SCCOI) have launched a collaborative initiative to develop a national POCUS training program.
The goal of this collaborative training program is to teach VA providers basic diagnostic and procedural
applications of POCUS. The proposed project will evaluate the effectiveness of an immersive POCUS training
course developed by SimLEARN on provider skill acquisition and retention, frequency of use, and identify
barriers/facilitators to POCUS use at participating VHA facilities.
Methods: Approximately 200 participants from a convenience sample of 15 diverse VHA facilities will
participate in a 2.5-day immersive POCUS training course at the SimLEARN National Simulation Center in
Orlando during fiscal year 2018. Our evaluation plan will collect data from facility Chiefs of Staff, providers
from facilities participating in POCUS training, and providers from wait-listed facilities at different time points
using different assessment tools: VHA Facility POCUS Survey, Provider POCUS Survey, Brief Provider
POCUS Survey, Pre-/Post-course Knowledge and Skills Test, and Coding Data.
Objective 1: Evaluate provider skill acquisition and retention, and frequency of POCUS use after
participation in the POCUS Training Course. Pre- and post-course testing will be used to assess acquisition
of knowledge and technical skills to perform POCUS exams. Post-course testing for knowledge and skill
retention, and frequency of use, will be performed 6 months after the training course.
Objective 2: Determine the effect of the POCUS Training Course and implementation facilitation on
facility-level frequency of POCUS use. Facilities with providers that infrequently use POCUS will be eligible
to participate in the POCUS Training Course. However, not all facilities will be able to be accommodated in the
1st year of the training program, requiring a facility waiting list. Facilities with providers participating in the
POCUS Training Course will be compared to wait-listed facilities with regard to frequency of POCUS use.
Using the Brief Provider POCUS Survey, frequency of POCUS use by providers in both participating and wait-
listed facilities will be compared. Additionally, coding data will be reviewed to assess frequency of procedures
performed with and without imaging guidance and procedural complication rates comparing the two groups of
facilities.
Objective 3: Determine pr...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10207756
- **Project number:** 5I50HX002263-03
- **Recipient organization:** SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Nilam Soni
- **Activity code:** I50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-10-01 → 2020-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10207756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10207756, Evaluation of Implementation of a National Point-of-care Ultrasound Training Program (5I50HX002263-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10207756. Licensed CC0.

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