Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment: a Randomized Controlled Trial

What this Trial Is About

This trial investigates two different training methods— in-person and remote— to teach medical residents how to use the Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) score for bedside volume assessment in patients with acute heart failure. The study compares the residents' performance to that of expert physicians certified in abdominal and duplex sonography. Accurate volume assessment is crucial in managing acute heart failure but is challenging in clinical practice, making this training important. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two training groups. The in-person group receives a 1-hour theoretical session plus a 3-hour supervised hands-on ultrasound training focusing on VExUS score acquisition and interpretation. The remote group completes an e-learning module followed by 20 independent ultrasound exams with expert feedback provided asynchronously via phone or email. Expert physicians certified in VExUS serve as a control group. Throughout and up to six months after training, researchers will assess ultrasound image quality using a standardized 100-point score. They will also measure time for image acquisition and interpretation, accuracy of VExUS scoring, participants’ confidence in performing the assessment, and how acceptable each training method is. These evaluations include both quantitative and qualitative assessments during and after the training period. The trial is led by Insel Gruppe AG and University Hospital Bern.

Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment.