Bedside ultrasound in the Acute Medical setting - Practiced by the Acute Physician or Ultrasonographer?

Ultrasound is widely used by physicians in the emergency medical setting in the USA, Australia and Europe. The objective in bringing ultrasound to the bedside is to bring immediacy to diagnostic decisions and improve safety for interventional procedures. Additionally within the NHS there are increasing pressures to limit bed usage and manage more conditions in an ambulatory setting. Shortening the time to scan and decisions based on the results would be of benefit to the individual patient and the organisation.