Point-of-care and smartphone-enabled sonography devices can streamline care and engage patients. You might call handheld ultrasounds the Swiss army knife of medical technology. They offer access to imaging in the field, where console tech isnt available or practical. And for medical training, they bring the pages of anatomy and physiology textbooks to life.Theyre especially handy in the emergency room, when minutes matter. And specialists early adopters include obstetricians and cardiologists use the technology to engage patients with real-time views when they might otherwise have to wait weeks for a traditional ultrasound appointment.Dr. Evan Muse, a cardiologist at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif., uses point-of-care ultrasound to quickly assess heart conditions and guide him during procedures, such as inserting a central venous line. But he also uses the real-time images to help his patients better understand their conditions and drive home the importance of prevention.

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