A workflow task force affects emergency physician compliance for point-of-care ultrasound documentation and billing.

Background: Emergency point-of-care ultrasound (POC u/s) is an example of a health information technology that improves patient care and time to correct diagnosis. POC u/s examinations should be documented, as they comprise an integral component of physician decision making. Incomplete documentation prevents coding, billing and physician group compensation for ultrasound-guided procedures and patient care.

M-Mode Ultrasound Applications for the Emergency Medicine Physician.

Background: M-mode or "motion" mode is a form of ultrasound imaging that is of high clinical utility in the emergency department. It can be used in a variety of situations to evaluate motion and timing, and can document tissue movement in a still image when the recording of a video clip is not feasible.

Objectives: In this article we describe several straightforward and easily performed applications for the emergency physician to incorporate M-mode into his or her practice, including the evaluation for: 1) pneumothorax, 2) left ventricular systolic function, 3) cardiac tamponade, and 4) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Point-of-care ultrasound differentiates pyomyositis from cellulitis.

Pyomyositis (PM) is an infection of skeletal muscle, often associated with an abscess. Patients typically have predisposing risk factors or are immune compromised. The disease is often misdiagnosed, mistreated,and goes undetected until late in the patient's clinical course.