Abstract
This study investigated the influence of a medical director using diagnostic ultrasound in a collegiate athletic training facility at the initial point-of care of an athlete. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of diagnostic ultrasound on the accuracy of initial diagnosis, time to accurate diagnosis, and on the .cost of care in an initial clinical evaluation in a collegiate athletic training room. This study evaluated the course of care in 18 athletes at Sacramento State and compared semesters with and without diagnostic ultrasound available to the athletic training facility. To be included in the study participants must have sustained a superficial soft tissue injury diagnosed by a physician. For the purpose of measuring accuracy, patients were placed into appropriate groups: Contributive (correct), Non-Contributive (normal findings), or Incorrect to determine if the initial diagnosis of the injury was correct. This study found that in 2009, the original diagnosis was determined to be incorrect by further imaging for 3 out of 6 patients. Comparatively in 2012, 0 out of 12 patients were found to have incorrect diagnosis, although 3 were placed in the Non-Contributive grouping due to no abnormalities found in imaging. For cost analysis, the amount of potential savings was calculated using a two-tailed t-test.. The association between ultrasound and potential savings was found to be not statistically significant. The time elapsed until treatment intervention was established or confirmed was also analyzed. This study found that there was a statistical difference between years with and without ultrasound availability.