SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Apex Unveils: Revolutionizing Admission Care

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This single-center retrospective study evaluated the “Apex” Admission POCUS Examination protocol in 134 patients admitted to a hospital medicine ward between November 2021 and May 2022. The aim was to assess whether a comprehensive point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) exam on admission could help guide early treatment decisions, especially in patients with multiple comorbidities and complex fluid management needs.<br /><br />The patient group had a mean age of 73 years, with slightly more women than men. The average Charlson Comorbidity Index was 6, indicating substantial baseline illness burden. Common admission diagnoses included pneumonia, urinary tract infection, renal failure, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The average hospital stay was 22 days.<br /><br />The Apex protocol included full-body ultrasound assessment, focusing on the inferior vena cava (IVC), pericardial effusion, ascites, hydronephrosis, pleural effusion, and other findings. Among these, IVC assessment was the most important result: it emerged as an independent predictor of whether admission prescriptions were adjusted based on ultrasound findings. In other words, IVC evaluation significantly influenced early management decisions.<br /><br />The authors conclude that the Apex protocol can improve admission care by providing immediate, individualized clinical information that helps tailor treatment from the start of hospitalization. They suggest that this POCUS-based approach may represent a shift toward more precise hospital medicine and could potentially improve patient outcomes and reduce length of stay.

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Yi-Chih Pu

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Author List Chiang-Yi Chen, Hung-Bin Tsai, Nin-Chieh Hsu, Tzung-Dau Wang, Wen-Chun Yu, Wen-Kai Chu, Yi-Chih Pu, Yu-Feng Lin

Category Research

Concept Admission POCUS Examination

Concept Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Concept Inferior Vena Cava

Concept Admission Treatment Decision

Concept Prescription Adjustment

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Presenting Author Yi-Chih Pu

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

point-of-care ultrasound

POCUS

Apex Admission POCUS Examination

hospital medicine

retrospective study

inferior vena cava

IVC assessment

fluid management

comorbidity

admission treatment decisions

Admission POCUS Examination

Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Inferior Vena Cava

Admission Treatment Decision

Prescription Adjustment