SVU 2025 Annual Conference Practice Management Session-SVU 2025 Annual Conference Practice Management Session

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This session on vascular lab practice management addressed real-world challenges impacting daily operations and future directions. Dr. Douglas Wooster moderated a series of talks focusing on integrating point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), professional obligations, lab standards, safety concerns, and learning from errors.<br /><br />David Williams discussed POCUS use in vascular settings, highlighting distinctions from comprehensive studies such as briefer protocols, limited training of personnel, and challenges in documentation and quality assurance. He emphasized the need for collaborative relationships between vascular labs and POCUS users, recognizing that while POCUS offers rapid screening and triage, it often lacks completeness compared to formal vascular lab exams.<br /><br />Colton Taylor presented on vascular sonographers’ broader professional obligations, stressing lifelong education through continuing medical education (CME) and SVU engagement. He encouraged participation in conferences, society roles, and advocacy to advance practice standards and workplace conditions.<br /><br />Marge Hutchison explained efforts to ensure excellence and improve lab standards, focusing on IAC accreditation and quality improvement (QI). Despite available tools and requirements, challenges remain in reducing interpretation errors. She emphasized honest self-assessment, peer review, continuous process improvement, and transparent communication for advancing patient care quality.<br /><br />Dr. Abraham Hederer addressed managerial concerns including staffing shortages, technologist injuries, credentialing, equipment obsolescence, and workplace safety. He shared real cases illustrating risks of violence and opioid overdose in clinical settings, advocating for risk assessments, de-escalation training, ergonomic equipment, and safety infrastructure.<br /><br />Jean Melendez-White and Bill Schroeder vulnerably shared significant errors early in their careers, underscoring the need for honesty, reflection, and continuous learning to improve vascular ultrasound practice.<br /><br />The session concluded with discussions on fostering ongoing engagement, improving handovers of care, and embracing continuous quality improvement as essential to patient safety and professional excellence.

Keywords

vascular lab practice management

point-of-care ultrasound

POCUS integration

vascular sonographers

continuing medical education

IAC accreditation

quality improvement

lab standards

workplace safety

staffing shortages

error reporting

patient safety