Remote tele-mentored ultrasound for non-physician learners using FaceTime: A feasibility study in a low-income country.

Purpose: Ultrasound (US) is a burgeoning diagnostic tool and is often the only available imaging modality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, bedside providers often lack training to acquire or interpret US images. We conducted a study to determine if a remote tele-intensivist could mentor geographically removed LMIC providers to obtain quality and clinically useful US images.

Ultrasound images transmitted via FaceTime are non-inferior to images on the ultrasound machine.

Purpose: Remote telementored ultrasound (RTMUS) systems can deliver ultrasound (US) expertise to regions lacking highly trained bedside ultrasonographers and US interpreters. To date, no studies have evaluated the quality and clinical utility of US images transmitted using commercially available RTMUS systems.

Methods: This prospective pilot evaluated the quality of US images (right internal jugular vein, lung apices and bases, cardiac subxiphoid view, bladder) obtained using a commercially available iPad operating FaceTime software.