SAEMF/AEUS Research Grant - $10,000

"Tele-Ultrasound for Low- and Middle-Income Country Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training: Learning Curves and Post-training Use"

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is lifesaving in settings without radiologic imaging, however, not widely available in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where it would be most impactful. Teleultrasound – the transmission of ultrasound images for remote interpretation and feedback – using handheld ultrasound machines and mobile devices holds immense potential to expand access to mentored POCUS education in LMICs when local experts are scarce. There is a critical unmet need to optimize teleultrasound training to ensure POCUS skill acquisition and increase access to a lifesaving diagnostic tool while upholding standards to prevent patient harm.

This project aims to revolutionize POCUS training by implementing and innovatively evaluating a teleultrasound training program in the rural district hospitals of Northern Namibia. This research will evaluate teleultrasound's impact on skill acquisition across a variety of POCUS examinations, the sustainability of POCUS use after teleultrasound training, and its effect on patient referrals for imaging from district hospitals in a rural resource limited region. The results will inform the development of scalable, regionally adaptable teleultrasound training model, with broader implications for patient and health outcomes in LMICs and the development of nascent emergency care systems.

Recipient(s)

  • Rachel Shing, MD

    Rachel Shing, MD

    Boston Medical Center Health System

    "Tele-Ultrasound for Low- and Middle-Income Country Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training: Learning Curves and Post-training Use"

    Rachel Shing, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and assistant professor at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She completed fellowship training in advanced emergency ultrasound and global health at Boston Medical Center.

    Dr. Shing’s work focuses on expanding access to high-quality emergency care and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) through education and research. She has extensive experience teaching POCUS in international settings, including Haiti, Ghana, Namibia, and South Africa. Her current research centers on developing sustainable local POCUS expertise in northern Namibia, utilizing teleultrasound technology to provide remote, real-time instruction. Through this work, she and her Namibian research collaborators aim to improve patient access to diagnostic imaging in a rural, resource-limited region of the country.