• Luke Phillips, Alastair Maclean, Josh Monester, Joanne Douglas, Stacey Davidson, and Gabriela King.
• Emergency Department, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
• Emerg Med Australas. 2024 Sep 4.

ObjectivesPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use is widespread in EDs and throughout those practising medicine. Between institutions and specialities, there is widespread variety and training. With this comes risk of patient harm and backlash to a clinically useful modality. Our objective is to form a statement that encompasses current published and unpublished guidance for creating and maintaining robust POCUS programs in EDs.MethodsEmergency Medicine Ultrasound Group (EMUG) identified this gap and volunteers from the group undertook a literature search of current best practice and institution guidelines relating to POCUS programs. They contacted colleagues from other specialities to find and get access to other countries and colleges' POCUS guidelines. EMUGs regularly run discussion forums (Collab-labs) and points from these were considered. Recommendations were then formed from these and recurrent unpublished obstacles the group had encountered. The result was reviewed by Clinical Leads in Ultrasound and POCUS users in Australasia.ResultsThe recommendations were organised under five pillars: Infrastructure, Governance, Administration, Education and Quality.ConclusionThese recommendations complement existing guidelines and are not intended to replace them; however, we hope to promote discussion and provide reference support for those developing POCUS programs. Implementing a comprehensive and robust ED POCUS program will ensure safe, effective, and standardised high-quality POCUS use, with the aim of improving patient care across Australia and New Zealand. Patient safety will be enhanced through effective risk management and quality assurance and there will be consistency in POCUS education, training and credentialing across institutions.© 2024 The Author(s). Emergency Medicine Australasia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

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