The University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine is advancing care through the increased knowledge of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in perioperative and critical care settings. This initiative is in line with the college’s goals toward excellence in education and increased access to high-quality health care.
POCUS allows physicians to make rapid, bedside assessments in real time — evaluating cardiac function, fluid status, or other vital parameters that can directly affect anesthesia management. While not a replacement for comprehensive echocardiography, POCUS provides essential insights that guide immediate clinical decisions.
The department hosted an inaugural POCUS faculty development conference in October. Through demonstrations and interactive workshops, UK anesthesiology faculty and members of the adult hospital medicine group learned when and how to use point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) across multiple organ systems, recognize normal versus abnormal findings, acquire and optimize quality images, and apply ultrasound results to real-time clinical decision-making.
An overarching goal of the event was to make this technology more accessible, said Aibek Mirrakhimov, MD, who led the development of the conference in collaboration with Harish Ram, MD, and Sanjay Dwarakanath, MD, MBA.
“Nationwide, there are different comfort levels among providers, and among anesthesiologists, with point-of-care,” Dr. Mirrakhimov said. “I want to make it less intimidating, make it more friendly to our colleagues, and increase the reach for this equipment, and hopefully it will translate into better patient outcomes.”
Dr. Ram, an associate professor and director of the cardiothoracic anesthesia fellowship program, is dedicated to developing educational initiatives that equip physicians with the skills to improve bedside care through the effective use of POCUS. Dr. Dwarakanath, professor and division chief of cardiac anesthesiology, models commitment to continued learning and high quality of care.
Dr. Mirrakhimov, assistant professor of anesthesiology and assistant residency program director for point-of-care ultrasound, returned to UK this year after completing advanced fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic. He began his career at UK in 2015 as an internal medicine hospitalist before pursuing critical care and anesthesiology training in New Mexico and Ohio.
Now back in Lexington, Ky., Dr. Mirrakhimov brings a multidisciplinary perspective to patient care and education. He praised his department’s collaborative atmosphere and passion for exceptional training that enabled a successful POCUS training program. The department also holds POCUS workshops throughout the year.
“This conference would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and passion for learning demonstrated by participants, and the invaluable support from the department,” said Dr. Mirrakhimov. Supporters included Zaki Hassan, MBBS, MBA, chair of the department, as well as faculty and staff including Amy DiLorenzo, PhD, Erin Hall, and Bradley Hill, among many others.
“Our faculty and staff make up a strong team collaborating to advance clinical care and medical education at the UK College of Medicine. The success of this conference exemplifies what can be achieved through shared purpose,” said Dr. Hassan.
