Point-of-Care in Clinical Practice: Consolidated Reality

Ultrasound and echocardiography with Doppler studies have represented, over the last few decades, highly noteworthy advances in medical practice in general. Particularly in internal medicine, they have promoted a true revolution in daily work and are currently considered a fundamental tool in clinical practice. This application of the method includes both urgent care and outpatient settings.^,

In emergency scenarios, the initial establishment of the FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma) protocol for systematized trauma care made it possible to popularize the use of the method and served as a basis for multiple applications. In expanded application in emergency medicine, the sequence has included implementation of the RUSH (Rapid Ultrasound for Shock and Hypotension) and C.A.U.S.E. (Cardiac Arrest Ultrasound Exam) protocols,^, progressively gaining ground as a multipurpose tool for use in medical education, research, and outpatient medical practice.

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