Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)NCT07556341
Point-of-care Ultrasound Utility in the Free Clinic Setting
A study testing Point of care ultrasound in people with Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS), run by Indiana University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this observational study is to learn about the clinical utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in patients receiving care in a free clinic or street medicine setting in Indianapolis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
- What is being tested?
- Point of care ultrasound
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2026to Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients >18 years old
- Presenting to either: street medicine team in Indianapolis, IN OR patients presenting to free clinic in Indianapolis, IN, AND Being treated by the Primary Investigatory AND Meeting one or more of specific indications (see study design)
Who cannot join
- Patients <18 years old
- Patients unable to provide verbal consent
- Patient refusal of ultrasound
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Indiana University
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46220
Anna Pendrey, MD, 317-225-1881, apendrey@iu.edu
Ian Oechsle, MD
About this study
Official title: Point-of-care Ultrasound Utility in the Free Clinic Setting: A Single Site Observational Study of Point of Care Ultrasound Utilization in a Free Clinic of Indianapolis, Indiana
The goal of this observational study is to learn about the clinical utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in patients receiving care in a free clinic or street medicine setting in Indianapolis. The main question it aims to answer is:
How often is POCUS used during patient encounters in a free clinic setting, and how does it influence clinical decision-making?
Participants who are receiving care from the street medicine team or the Indiana University School of Medicine Student Outreach Clinic and who undergo a clinically indicated POCUS exam as part of their regular medical care will have information from their ultrasound encounters recorded. Researchers will track the type of ultrasound performed, the findings, and whether the ultrasound changed the patient's medical management. Participants will also have a 30-day follow-up through electronic medical record review or phone/email contact to assess their clinical course and compare POCUS findings with any formal radiology studies if performed.
Read the detailed description
Street medicine is an emerging model of healthcare that provides health and social services directly to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (PEH) in their own environments. Rather than requiring patients to come to a traditional clinic or hospital, street medicine practitioners meet individuals where they are-in alleyways, under bridges, in encampments, or other public spaces. Many cities have also incorporated formal brick-and-mortar, low-barrier free clinics to address acute and chronic healthcare concerns of the uninsured and unsheltered individuals of the community.
According to the 2025 PIT (Point-in-time) count, there were 1,815 individuals identified as PEH in Marion County. This represents a 7% increase from 2024 and is the highest total since 2021. Nationwide, this increase is even more alarming. In 2024, the PIT count identified 770,000 PEH, representing an 18% rise from the previous year. (IndyStar, 2025)
Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is an underutilized resource in the street and free-clinic setting. Despite its long history of clinical application in the hospital setting, ultrasound has been limited in resource poor settings by portability, cost, and quality of image acquisition. Over the past 10 years, several advancements have shown allowed for the democratization of portable POCUS: improved image quality, AI integration, and wireless connectivity now exist in multiple handheld device models for only a few thousand dollars, which makes it possible to use in resource-limited settings. This technology both expedites diagnosis and reinforces the physician-patient relationship through its immediacy, portability, and facility of patient education as a visual aid. The convergence of street medicine and innovation in portable POCUS technology, particularly in the backdrop of an alarming increase in PEH across the nation, introduces a potential use-case in these settings.
However, there are limited data demonstrating the utility and efficacy of street-medicine POCUS. The purpose of this prospective observational study is to perform POCUS in the free clinic setting of Indianapolis, IN and catalogue the types of ultrasound exams performed based on already established chief-complaint driven indications. This will include 30-day follow up of relevant formal US comparison (if indicated) and overall clinical course. Additionally, this study serves to identify barriers to POCUS in these resource limited settings in order to formulate best practices for street medicine teams and free clinics moving forward.
Portable handheld ultrasound devices will allow the clinician to perform rapid bedside imaging to evaluate conditions related to common patient complaints including shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, flank pain, soft tissue infections, joint injuries, or suspected blood clots. The ultrasound exams will typically take 2-5 minutes and may include thoracic, cardiac, abdominal, renal, vascular, soft tissue, musculoskeletal, ocular, or obstetric/gynecologic imaging depending on the patient's symptoms. The goal is to assist clinical decision-making in real time while improving access to diagnostic imaging in resource-limited free clinic and street medicine environments.
- Conditions
- Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
- Being tested
- Point of care ultrasound
- Keywords
- point of care ultrasound, free clinic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Point of care ultrasoundDiagnostic test
No additional interventions are utilized in the study
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Point of care ultrasound | Experimental | Eligible participants will have point-of-care ultrasound performed Receives: Diagnostic Test: Point of care ultrasound |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Ultrasound utilization
frequency of utilization of point of care ultrasound in a free clinic setting.
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Secondary outcomes (7)
Agreement of findings between POCUS and subsequent radiology-performed US (if performed within 1 month and available)
compare findings of Point-of-care Ultrasound to formal ultrasounds and gather data on frequency of visits where POCUS changed medical management
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with positive findings
Identify amount of studies performed with clinically relevant positive findings
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with subsequent referral to subspecialist teams
Identify quantity of studies performed that prompted referral for subspecialist evaluation.
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with change in medical care plan (% of avoided hospital referrals) secondary to POCUS
Identify amount of studies performed that prompted a meaningful change in management (i.e. avoidance of hospital referral or triggered referral)
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of different types of studies performed
Catalogue and identify the relative percentages of all studies performed
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Time spent performing each study by type
Record time taken to perform each scan
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of time of encounter spent on POCUS
Measure total time of encounter including time of study
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Apr 2026
- Study start1 Apr 2026
- Primary completionJul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Indiana UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Daniel S Brenner, Indiana University
- Investigators
- Daniel Brenner, MD PhD, Principal investigator, Indiana University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07556341
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB #29083
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 23 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Point-of-care Ultrasound Utility in the Free Clinic Setting: A Single Site Observational Study of Point of Care Ultrasound Utilization in a Free Clinic of Indianapolis, Indiana
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07556341
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB #29083
- Conditions
- Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
- Keywords
- point of care ultrasound, free clinic
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this observational study is to learn about the clinical utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in patients receiving care in a free clinic or street medicine setting in Indianapolis. The main question it aims to answer is:
How often is POCUS used during patient encounters in a free clinic setting, and how does it influence clinical decision-making?
Participants who are receiving care from the street medicine team or the Indiana University School of Medicine Student Outreach Clinic and who undergo a clinically indicated POCUS exam as part of their regular medical care will have information from their ultrasound encounters recorded. Researchers will track the type of ultrasound performed, the findings, and whether the ultrasound changed the patient's medical management. Participants will also have a 30-day follow-up through electronic medical record review or phone/email contact to assess their clinical course and compare POCUS findings with any formal radiology studies if performed.
Detailed description
Street medicine is an emerging model of healthcare that provides health and social services directly to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (PEH) in their own environments. Rather than requiring patients to come to a traditional clinic or hospital, street medicine practitioners meet individuals where they are-in alleyways, under bridges, in encampments, or other public spaces. Many cities have also incorporated formal brick-and-mortar, low-barrier free clinics to address acute and chronic healthcare concerns of the uninsured and unsheltered individuals of the community.
According to the 2025 PIT (Point-in-time) count, there were 1,815 individuals identified as PEH in Marion County. This represents a 7% increase from 2024 and is the highest total since 2021. Nationwide, this increase is even more alarming. In 2024, the PIT count identified 770,000 PEH, representing an 18% rise from the previous year. (IndyStar, 2025)
Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is an underutilized resource in the street and free-clinic setting. Despite its long history of clinical application in the hospital setting, ultrasound has been limited in resource poor settings by portability, cost, and quality of image acquisition. Over the past 10 years, several advancements have shown allowed for the democratization of portable POCUS: improved image quality, AI integration, and wireless connectivity now exist in multiple handheld device models for only a few thousand dollars, which makes it possible to use in resource-limited settings. This technology both expedites diagnosis and reinforces the physician-patient relationship through its immediacy, portability, and facility of patient education as a visual aid. The convergence of street medicine and innovation in portable POCUS technology, particularly in the backdrop of an alarming increase in PEH across the nation, introduces a potential use-case in these settings.
However, there are limited data demonstrating the utility and efficacy of street-medicine POCUS. The purpose of this prospective observational study is to perform POCUS in the free clinic setting of Indianapolis, IN and catalogue the types of ultrasound exams performed based on already established chief-complaint driven indications. This will include 30-day follow up of relevant formal US comparison (if indicated) and overall clinical course. Additionally, this study serves to identify barriers to POCUS in these resource limited settings in order to formulate best practices for street medicine teams and free clinics moving forward.
Portable handheld ultrasound devices will allow the clinician to perform rapid bedside imaging to evaluate conditions related to common patient complaints including shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, flank pain, soft tissue infections, joint injuries, or suspected blood clots. The ultrasound exams will typically take 2-5 minutes and may include thoracic, cardiac, abdominal, renal, vascular, soft tissue, musculoskeletal, ocular, or obstetric/gynecologic imaging depending on the patient's symptoms. The goal is to assist clinical decision-making in real time while improving access to diagnostic imaging in resource-limited free clinic and street medicine environments.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Point of care ultrasound | Experimental | Diagnostic Test: Point of care ultrasoundEligible participants will have point-of-care ultrasound performed |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Patients >18 years old
- Presenting to either: street medicine team in Indianapolis, IN OR patients presenting to free clinic in Indianapolis, IN, AND Being treated by the Primary Investigatory AND Meeting one or more of specific indications (see study design)
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Patients <18 years old
- Patients unable to provide verbal consent
- Patient refusal of ultrasound
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Point of care ultrasoundNo additional interventions are utilized in the study | Diagnostic test | Point of care ultrasound |
Primary outcome
Ultrasound utilization
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
frequency of utilization of point of care ultrasound in a free clinic setting.
7 secondary outcomes
Agreement of findings between POCUS and subsequent radiology-performed US (if performed within 1 month and available)
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with positive findings
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with subsequent referral to subspecialist teams
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of studies with change in medical care plan (% of avoided hospital referrals) secondary to POCUS
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of different types of studies performed
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Time spent performing each study by type
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Percentage of time of encounter spent on POCUS
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Daniel Brenner, MD PhD principal investigator
Indiana University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Point of care ultrasound in people with Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS), run by Indiana University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ian Oechsle, MD (317-847-9594, ioechsle@iu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Ultrasound utilization (time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Jul 2026.