National specialty trends in billable diagnostic ultrasound in the ED: analysis of Medicare claims data

Changing Abdominal Imaging Utilization Patterns: Perspectives From Medicare Beneficiaries Over Two Decades

“…This finding is in keeping with prior reports that showed increased imaging utilization in the emergency department despite declines in other sites of service in the mid-2000s [19,20].…”

Use of Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in the Emergency Department

“…Recent literature suggests that the reimbursement of point-of-care ultrasound by emergency practitioners in the United States is increasing in general. 4 However, implementation of the infrastructure to support a robust pointof-care ultrasound program, including education and training, policy and procedure development, credentialing, quality assurance, and billing systems, may have lagged behind this growth. A survey of California EDs in 2009 found that only 34% had bedside ultrasound available, and only 48% of physicians at each site were credentialed to use ultrasound.…”

“…Increasing recognition of the benefits of point‐of‐care ultrasound has translated into growing efforts to promote its adoption. Despite these efforts, a national survey in 2006 reported that only 16% of emergency departments (EDs) received point‐of‐care ultrasound reimbursements 4 , 5 . In addition, little is known about current national geographic patterns of point‐of‐care ultrasound reimbursements, variations in the types of point‐of‐care ultrasound examinations performed, and factors contributing to adoption.…”

Trends in Medical Claims and Utilization of Limited Ultrasonography Among Emergency Physicians and Radiologists Within a Large Health Plan Provider

“…Understanding reimbursement for point‐of‐care ultrasound studies is particularly important, given the recent growth of this modality, coupled with the considerable ongoing expenses required to establish and maintain an ultrasound program. Previous studies have focused on the fiscal impact of point‐of‐care ultrasound implementation in the ED, with contradictory results .…”

“…This may be due to accumulating studies supporting the use of ocular ultrasonography in the setting of ocular trauma 32 or increased intracranial pressure via measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter. 33 Understanding reimbursement for point-of-care ultrasound studies is particularly important, given the recent growth of this modality, 13 coupled with the considerable ongoing expenses required to establish and maintain an ultrasound program. Previous studies have focused on the fiscal impact of point-of-care ultrasound implementation in the ED, with contradictory results.…”