Back to the program

Comparison of Primary Care and Hospital Ultrasound: Delay, Second Opinions and Cost Efficiency

Pau VILURBINA PÉREZ, Montserrat PINYOL MARTÍNEZ, Minerva MAS HEREDIA, Maria José GINER MARTOS, Adrián DIAZ CASTILLO, Cristina DONCEL VALCARCEL, Luis GONZÁLEZ DE PAZ, Jaume BENAVENT ÀREU and Antoni SISÓ-ALMIRALL

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in primary care is expanding as a tool to improve diagnostic capacity, reduce delays and avoid unnecessary referrals. However, real-world comparative data with hospital imaging pathways remain limited. This study analyzes the performance of ultrasounds performed in a primary care center versus those referred to hospital, focusing on diagnostic delay, need for second imaging tests, and cost impact.