GLOBAL HEALTH
Transforming Emergency Medicine in Puerto Rico: The Impact of SonoFest SAEM PULSE | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024
By Franz Mendoza-García, MD
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In emergency medicine, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become a vital tool in enhancing patient care, offering quick, bedside diagnostic assessments that are invaluable in time-sensitive situations. POCUS has been integrated into the clinical practices of many other specialties as well, as its role in improving patient outcomes is increasingly recognized. However, providing ultrasound education, particularly to physicians in resource-limited areas, presents significant challenges. Puerto Rico is one such place
where access to medical tools and training is constrained. Natural disasters can exacerbate these challenges. The island’s health care system was pushed to its limits in 2017 when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, leaving many residents without electricity, water, or access to health care for months. The situation was particularly critical for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetics who couldn’t properly store their insulin due to power outages, and dialysis patients who couldn’t reach clinics due to road closures.
Additionally, increased incidences of leptospirosis further strained the fragile health care system. In the aftermath of this disaster, Puerto Rico SonoFest was born. Jeffrey Dan, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, recognized the desperate need for better ultrasound education and resources on the island. Driven by his passion for global health and his deep connection to the Puerto Rican community, Dr. Dan, whose patient