Point-of-care-ultrasound in Swiss Air Rescue Rega

NCT06602856 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2024-01154
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of the study is, on the one hand, to objectively investigate the patient-oriented benefits of prehospital point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations under the conditions of the helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) in Switzerland. On the other hand, the study will show what the diagnostic quality of prehospital POCUS examinations is and how emergency medical teams can be trained to use POCUS in the future. HEMS crew members will answer a short online questionaire about how findings of their POCUS examination has influenced their medical treatment, diagnosis and selection of target hospital for the patient (primary outcome parameters). In addition, a study nurse will query the findings of the in-hospital diagnostic tests and compare them with the findings of the pre-hospital POCUS examination. This will enable the investigators to evaluate the diagnostic quality of the prehospital POCUS examination and to identify which findings are often not recognised in the POCUS. The subjective satisfaction and assessment of the benefit of the POCUS examination by the respective users will also be recorded (secondary outcome parameters).

Conditions

Point-of-care-ultrasound; Emergency Treatment

Keywords

POCUS; Helicopter emergency medical service; Diagnostic quality

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Diagnosis

  Number of patients and clinical pictures/injuries of patients in whom the findings of prehospital POCUS influenced the further course of action with regard to diagnosis?

  During HEMS mission, estimated to be on average of 30-60 minutes

• Therapeutic interventions

  Number of patients and clinical pictures/injuries of patients in whom the findings of prehospital POCUS influenced the further course of action with regard to therapeutic interventions (e.g. pleural decompression, fluid therapy, medication)?

  During HEMS mission, estimated to be on average 30-60 minutes

• Transportation target

  Number of patients and clinical pictures/injuries of patients in whom the findings of prehospital POCUS influenced the further course of action with regard to selection of the target hospital

  During HEMS mission, estimated to be on average 30-60 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Missed findings

  1 day

• Users' subjective assessment

  1 day

• Diagnostic quality

  1 day

Interventions

Point-of-care ultrasound examination OTHER

We are investigating the extent to which pre-hospital point-of-care ultrasound examination influences the further deployment tactics, medical treatment and choice of destination hospital for patients.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The Swiss Air Rescue Rega treats more than 12,000 patients annually. It is estimated that 1,000 of these will undergo a prehospital POCUS examination. These include both trauma patients and patients with medical diseases such as pulmonary oedema, COPD, myocardial infarction, etc.

You may qualify if:

• All patients in whom the treating Rega team uses POCUS pre-hospital
• existing written General Consent (with permission to use patient data for research)

You may not qualify if:

• Age \<18 years

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern: lead

Study Sites (1)

Swiss Air Rescue Rega

Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Jürgen Knapp, Dr.

  Bern University Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Jürgen Knapp, Dr.

CONTACT

+41765138342; juergen.knapp@insel.ch

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2024
• First Posted: September 19, 2024
• Study Start: November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Last Updated: March 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Locations

CH (1)