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Implementation of an eFAST guideline and teaching to improve documentation practices and saving of ultrasound images
Joseph Rossi1, Anthony Van Assche1
1St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Objectives:
To investigate whether implementation of a hospital-based Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (eFAST) guideline and teaching improved documentation and saving of images.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on trauma patients aged ≥16 years presenting to St Vincent's Hospital Sydney Emergency Department over two, three-month periods in 2023.
Results:
Guideline and teaching implementation resulted in statistically significant improvement in documentation on the Trauma Response Form, 85% (113/133) to 93% (120/129), odds ratio (OR) 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-5.40), P = 0.04, and images saved, 4% (5/133) to 21% (27/129), OR 6.7 (95% CI = 2.5-18.2), P < 0.001.
Conclusions:
Developing an eFAST Standard of Care Guideline and education was associated with improvements in documentation and saving of images to ultrasound machines.
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