ARCTICA

Cardiopulmonary point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is the critical, first-line imaging tool for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection. However, this critical, potentially life-saving expertise, is not available in the hands of all providers treating COVID-19 infection and is especially lacking in geographically remote or rural regions. Tele-POCUS is an innovative method of streaming images and expertise to and from remote centers. ARCTICA addresses 2 clinical gaps – first by optimizing expert imaging live support to local physicians attending in COVID-19 units that are novice POCUS users, and second by implementing this novel workflow to geographically remote and Northern communities where this expertise is crucially lacking.

We anticipate that Tele-POCUS will result in rapid interpretation, stratification, bedside decision-making, and triage of patients, as well as help the treating physician identify which patients are at risk of clinical deterioration, require urgent therapy, or transfer, ultimately saving lives. Saving lives of patients with COVID-19 infection is the driving force for the implementation of a technologically driven approach to enhance care in remote regions, but the remaining conduit, once established, will elevate imaging to these settings beyond the pandemic.

Expected Outcomes and Significance: We expect to demonstrate the effectiveness and value of a POCUS tele-consultative service for enhancing care of patients with COVID-19 infection, integration with clinical workflow, and the acceleration of training of front-line physicians. We anticipate this program to not only develop a practical, critical skill set for our physicians locally, but to also provide a workflow model that will serve the global community during the pandemic.