Innovative use of point-of-care ultrasound improves health care on Haida Gwaii
Authors: Tandi Wilkinson, MD, CCFP-EM, FCFP, Jason Curran, MPH, Virginia Robinson, MD, CCFP-EM, FCFP, Nicole Moon, MHA, Ievgeniia Rozhenko, MA, and Tracey DeLeeuw
Publication date: June 2025
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can improve patient care by reducing diagnosis, treatment, and transport times; reducing transfers; and providing medical care closer to home. However, barriers to acquiring and maintaining proficiency with POCUS result in widespread underuse of this technology. The medical community on Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago off the coast of British Columbia, is using POCUS in innovative and sustainable ways.
Employing an interpretive description methodology and the theoretical framework of the Eco-Normalization Model, this study used semi-structured interviews with a community physician, a local hospital administrator, and a patient to discover the factors that led to the successful implementation of POCUS. Drivers included local physician “POCUS champions” and the desire to provide better and more compassionate medical care. Enablers included specific medical education, excellent administrative support, a culture of learning and collaboration, and patient satisfaction.
