Single-visit first-trimester care with point-of-care ultrasound cuts emergency visits by 81% for non-miscarrying patients

The Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota, established a bi-monthly Early Pregnancy Dating & Risk Assessment Clinic in September 2022. The clinic introduced an integrated approach, combining point-of-care ultrasound with immediate, multidisciplinary first-trimester care. This integration allowed the clinic to quickly identify high-risk cases and offer timely intervention for issues such as miscarriage or abnormal pregnancies, reducing emergency visits, urgent clinic appointments, and first-trimester phone inquiries by 81% for non-miscarrying patients. Clinic implementation led to more timely diagnosis of abnormal pregnancies and improved education and support for all patients, including those who experience miscarriage.

Enhancing First Trimester Obstetrical Care: The Addition of Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Allison Newman, MD, et al

Woodwinds Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, St. Paul, Minnesota

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