Re-examining physical findings with point-of-care ultrasound: a narrative review.

The art of physical examination has continued to be practised by physicians largely unchanged for over 200 years. Ultrasound, once the domain of the radiologist, is now being increasingly used by emergency physicians and intensivists to make rapid, accurate diagnoses at the point-of-care. We review the growing body of evidence supporting point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) as the preferred alternative to many aspects of the cardiovascular, respiratory, abdominal and neurological examinations in internal medicine. Compared with physical examination, PoCUS may increase diagnostic accuracy and patient satisfaction; reduce unnecessary investigations and healthcare costs; be shared with experts for a second opinion; and have automated decision-support applied to improve diagnosis. Further research is needed to identify the ideal combination of physical and PoCUS techniques to establish a gold-standard 'hybrid' approach to bedside assessment.