Pre-hospital ultrasound trial in Berkeley County awarded research grant
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – A new project at the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority has been awarded funding by the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center (JMMTC) at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
The JMMTC 2024 research grant was awarded to the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority to support a pre-hospital ultrasound trial in partnership with WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center’s Critical Care and Trauma Services and the Department of Emergency Medicine.
A pre-hospital ultrasound trial equips emergency medical teams with portable ultrasound devices and specialized training to perform focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) exams at the scene or in transit.
One goal of the trial is to demonstrate that pre-hospital identification of intra-abdominal bleeding enables early activation of the on-call operating room team at Berkeley Medical Center’s Level III Trauma Center, thereby expediting definitive surgical management.
By comparing each FAST exam with follow-up imaging in the trauma bay, the study evaluates accuracy, informs continuous training, and refines response protocols. This approach seeks to reduce time for operative intervention and improve survival and recovery outcomes for trauma patients.
Emergency medicine physicians Ben Deuell, D.O., and Garrick Anderson, M.D., coordinated the training efforts with the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority staff and lead the study’s quality assurance program, providing a retrospective review of all pre-hospital ultrasounds performed and comparative ultrasound exams in the trauma bay.
“This trial highlights our strong partnership not only with the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority but also our alignment with the WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute,” Dr. Deuell said. “We are proud to be part of WVU Medicine’s shared commitment to advancing trauma care in our community and commend the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority team for their proactive efforts.”
This one-year study will conclude at the end of 2025, with a goal of adapting best practices for emergency medical services protocol to incorporate pre-hospital ultrasound across West Virginia.
Photo cutline: Colten Harmon, a paramedic with Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority, and Garrick Anderson, M.D., attending physician at the Berkeley Medical Center Emergency Department, participate in a hands-on ultrasound training session as part of the pre-hospital ultrasound trial.
--WVU Medicine--
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25- April
CED: 4-28-25