Abstract Body

1. Evaluate the impact of clinical ultrasound on patient management.

2. Prospective observational study conducted in a semi-urban health center (> 30,000 inhabitants). The selection criteria were: patients of the C.S. have a clinical ultrasound performed according to some clinical scenarios from May 2019 to January 2020.

3. Of the ultrasounds performed, 41 were women and 40 men, with an average age of 51.52 years. Of these, 28 were due to shoulder pain, 2 due to suspected DVT, 2 due to dyspnea and 36 due to suspected abdominal pathology. In 22 of the 81 patients in this study, no regulated ultrasound would have been requested if there was no clinical ultrasound, changing the decision to perform it only in one case, due to the occurrence of an incidental finding. In 59 cases, a regulated ultrasound would have been requested, with a subsequent decision not to make the request in 43 cases (p <0.05). Regarding the referral to a second level of specialized care, it was decided not to refer in 72 cases, finally deriving after the findings found in 13 (p <0.05).In 52 patients (64.2%) there was a perception that ultrasound offered security in decision making (this perception being defined as reassurance in the reviewed literature).

4. Through this pilot study we can conclude that the incorporation of clinical ultrasound in the daily practice of the Primary Care physician leads to an improvement in the adequacy of the request for complementary tests and in referrals to second level specialized care, as well as a key piece to help in the daily uncertainty.