Point-of-Care Ultrasound for High-Risk Pregnancy Screening in Rural Nepal.

Area of Science:

• Global health
• Medical education
• Obstetric ultrasound

Background:

• High-risk pregnancies in remote areas pose challenges for timely identification and triage.
• Global outreach programs are gaining traction among US radiologists.
• There is a need to train healthcare professionals in low- and middle-income countries on essential diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of training nurses and midwives in obstetric ultrasound in remote Nepalese villages.
• To evaluate the benefits of global outreach for American radiology residents' practical skills and understanding of low-resource healthcare.
• To highlight the importance of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training in radiology residency.

Main Methods:

• Nurses and midwives received basic obstetric ultrasound training.
• American radiology residents participated in hands-on scanning and clinical practice in Nepal.
• The program focused on identifying and triaging high-risk pregnancies using ultrasound.

Main Results:

• The training enabled identification and triage of high-risk pregnancies in remote Nepalese villages.
• Radiology residents enhanced their real-time ultrasound scanning skills.
• Residents gained insights into practicing medicine in low- and middle-income country contexts.

Conclusions:

• Training local healthcare providers in obstetric ultrasound is effective for improving maternal care in underserved regions.
• Global outreach initiatives provide valuable training opportunities for radiology residents, enhancing both technical skills and cultural competency.
• Point-of-care ultrasound training is crucial for modern radiology residency programs engaged in global health work.