Point-of-care ultrasonography in Turkish primary care: a qualitative exploration of practice and experience

The use of point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) by family physicians is growing worldwide, yet remains uncommon in Türkiye. This study aims to explore what motivates family physicians in Türkiye to voluntarily adopt POCUS and how they perceive its benefits and challenges in daily practice.

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and thematic analysis. Ten family physicians from different regions of Türkiye, all with prior POCUS training and at least six months of active use in primary care, were purposively recruited through professional referrals and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via video conferencing, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2020. Broad themes guided interview development, while subthemes emerged inductively during coding and were refined through iterative analysis and peer feedback.

Physicians' motivations to use POCUS were driven by clinical needs, professional curiosity, and skills gained during residency or short courses. Applications included abdominal pain evaluation, pregnancy screening, and chronic disease management. Participants described a wide range of devices used during their learning and daily practice. They viewed POCUS as valuable for improving diagnostic accuracy and patient trust, and several perceived its wider adoption as inevitable in modern primary care. However, they acknowledged increased workload and time pressure in busy primary care settings. Barriers included inconsistent training quality, limited access to equipment, and a lack of institutional support.

POCUS is perceived by Turkish family physicians as a beneficial, patient-centered tool in primary care, particularly in resource-limited settings. Its broader adoption will require structured training, affordable equipment, and supportive health policy to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable national-level integration.