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Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
Advanced Imaging at the Bedside
At our clinic, we utilize Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to enhance diagnosis and improve patient care. POCUS is a portable ultrasound technology that allows us to perform real-time imaging during your visit, providing immediate clinical insight without the delays or inconvenience of scheduling imaging elsewhere.
Instead of waiting days or weeks for imaging referrals and separate appointments, many conditions can be evaluated on the spot during your appointment, helping guide treatment decisions quickly and accurately
POCUS is widely used in emergency medicine, critical care, and modern primary care because it improves diagnostic accuracy, safety, and efficiency.
Faster Answers
POCUS allows your doctor to evaluate certain conditions immediately during your visit instead of waiting for outside imaging appointments.
Improved Accuracy
Real-time imaging helps physicians confirm physical exam findings
and make more informed treatment decisions.
Convenient and Efficient
Because scans can be performed in the clinic, many patients avoid additional trips to imaging centers or emergency departments.
Using POCUS directly in the clinic allows us to:
Improve diagnostic accuracy
Reduce unnecessary referrals and imaging
Provide faster answers and treatment plans during visits
Guide procedures more safely
Improve patient understanding through real-time imaging
Lower overall healthcare costs
It is also non-invasive and does not use radiation, making it a safe diagnostic tool.
This technology allows us to practice modern, high-value medicine focused on the patient, not the insurance system.
What to Expect During a POCUS Exam
Ultrasound exams are:
• Quick (typically 5–15 minutes)
• Performed during your appointment
• Completely painless and radiation-free
A small handheld probe is placed on the skin using ultrasound gel to produce real-time images.
We can review the images with you immediately and discuss next steps.
Best of all, these services are included with your membership at no extra cost.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Evaluation for:
Gallstones
Liver abnormalities
Kidney stones
Urinary retention
Abdominal fluid
Causes of abdominal pain
Cardiac Ultrasound
Basic heart evaluation including:
Heart function
Pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart)
Signs of heart failure
Lung Ultrasound
Evaluation of respiratory conditions such as:
Pneumonia
Pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs)
Pulmonary edema
Causes of shortness of breath
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
Helpful for diagnosing:
Tendon injuries
Muscle tears
Joint effusions
Bursitis
Ligament injuries
This also allows precise ultrasound-guided joint injections.
Vascular Ultrasound
Used to evaluate:
Leg swelling
Screening for blood clots (DVT)
Blood flow abnormalities
Soft Tissue Ultrasound
Allows us to identify:
Abscesses
Cysts
Soft tissue masses
Foreign bodies under the skin
Ultrasound-Guided Procedures
POCUS allows greater safety and precision during procedures such as:
Joint injections
Abscess drainage
Soft tissue procedures
Fluid aspiration
Physician Training in Point-of-Care Ultrasound
Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly used by physicians in emergency medicine, critical care, family medicine, and internal medicine to improve bedside diagnostic accuracy.
Dr. McKinney has completed training in bedside ultrasound techniques used in primary care and outpatient medicine, allowing focused ultrasound examinations to be performed safely and effectively during your visit.
POCUS is widely supported by multiple medical organizations, including:
• The American Academy of Family Physicians
• The American College of Emergency Physicians
• The Society of Hospital Medicine
These organizations recognize ultrasound as a valuable extension of the physical exam when used by properly trained physicians.
Our clinic incorporates ultrasound to provide modern, high-quality primary care while maintaining the personalized doctor-patient relationship that is central to the Direct Primary Care model.
Clinical Ultrasound Disclaimer
Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) performed in our clinic is used as a clinical extension of the physical exam. They are focused diagnostic studies used to assist the physician in clinical evaluation and decision-making during your visit. These focused ultrasound exams are intended to support clinical decision-making and are not a substitute nor intended to replace comprehensive diagnostic studies performed by radiology departments and/or interpreted by radiologists.
POCUS exams are designed to answer specific clinical questions and may not detect all abnormalities.
If additional imaging is clinically indicated, patients may be referred for further evaluation using formal diagnostic imaging such as:
• Comprehensive ultrasound
• CT scanning
• MRI
• Specialty consultation
All diagnostic and treatment decisions are based on the complete clinical evaluation, including medical history, physical examination, and other appropriate testing.
Learn More About Our Services
If you would like to learn more about Point-of-Care Ultrasound or our Direct Primary Care services, contact us today to schedule a visit or meet-and-greet.