Redland Hospital Intensivist Dr Goran Mitric says cardiac ultrasound (Echocardiography) is helping Intensive Care Unit (ICU) teams make faster, more informed decisions for critically unwell patients.
Dr Mitric has recently completed an ICU fellowship in Critical Care Echocardiography, strengthening the ICU’s ability to assess and manage critically ill patients by understanding complex heart conditions at the bedside.
“The echo machine is used to assess both the structure and the function of your heart using ultrasound," he said. “It helps us to both identify problems when you are sick and to choose the best treatment based on the information it provides.
"The technology allows clinicians to check heart function in real time to assess and monitor patient progress."
Dr Mitric said transthoracic echocardiograms were a non-invasive and pain-free way to diagnose problems with the heart.“Patients who are sick with conditions such as sepsis, bad infections, cardiovascular failure and lung problems benefit from timely information to help doctors choose and monitor the right therapies promptly.
“This technology also allows us to communicate better with colleagues at bigger hospitals, who sometimes need to perform procedures or provide care if patients are transferred,” he said.