COMMUNITY-BASED OBSTETRICAL ULTRASOUND REPORTS - DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH SUGGESTED MINIMUM STANDARDS

The objective of this study was to determine the degree of documented compliance of community-based ultrasound reports with suggested standa rds/guidelines for basic ultrasound examinations as published by the A merican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Amer ican Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). First trimester repor ts from obstetric offices (n = 20) had complete compliance with ACOG g uidelines in 35% and AIUM standards in 15% of the cases (p = NS). Radi ological reports (n = 26) had complete compliance with ACOG guidelines in 11.5% and AIUM standards in 3.9% of the cases (p = NS). None of th e second/third trimester reports from either the obstetrical offices ( n = 35) or from radiological facilities (n = 94) had complete complian ce with either ACOG or AIUM standards/guidelines. Ultrasound reports g enerated by community-based obstetricians and radiologists from our re ferral sources demonstrate significant omissions in documentation of c omponents suggested by AIUM and ACOG for minimum standards of basic ul trasound examinations. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.