ASE Statement on the Reintroduction of Echocardiography Services

During the COVID-19 Pandemic

© 2020 American Society of Echocardiography

Judy Hung, MD, FASE (Chair), Theodore P. Abraham, MD, FASE, Meryl S. Cohen, MD, MS
Ed, FASE, Michael L. Main, MD, FASE, Carol Mitchell, PhD, ACS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT,
FASE, Vera H. Rigolin, MD, FASE, Madhav Swaminathan, MD, FASE, Boston, Massachusetts;
San Francisco, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kansas City, Missouri, Madison,
Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, and Durham, North Carolina

From Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (J.H.); University of San

Francisco, San Francisco, California (T.P.A.); The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania (M.S.C.); Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri
(M.L.M.); University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison,
Wisconsin (C.M.); Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
(V.H.R.); Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (M.S.).

1 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Notice and Disclaimer: This statement reflects recommendations based on expert opinion,
national guidelines, and available evidence. Our knowledge with regard to COVID-19 continues
to evolve, as do our institutional protocols for dealing with invasive and non-invasive procedures
and practice of personal protective equipment. Readers are urged to follow national guidelines
and their institutional recommendations regarding best practices to protect their patients and
themselves. These reports are made available by ASE as a courtesy reference source for its
members. The reports contain recommendations only and should not be used as the sole basis to
make medical practice decisions or for disciplinary action against any employee. The statements
and recommendations contained in these reports are primarily based on the opinions of experts,
rather than on scientifically-verified data. ASE makes no express or implied warranties regarding
the completeness or accuracy of the information in these reports, including the warranty of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall ASE be liable to you, your
patients, or any other third parties for any decision made or action taken by you or such other
parties in reliance on this information. Nor does your use of this information constitute the
offering of medical advice by ASE or create any physician-patient relationship between ASE and
your patients or anyone else.

Disclosures: The following authors reported no actual or potential conflicts of interest in relation
to this document: Judy Hung, MD, FASE, Meryl S. Cohen, MD, MS Ed, FASE, Michael L.
Main, MD, FASE, Carol Mitchell, PhD, ACS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, FASE, Madhav
Swaminathan, MD, FASE. The following authors reported relationships with one or more
commercial interests: Theodore P. Abraham, MD, FASE, holds equity in Perceptive Navigation.
Vera H. Rigolin, MD, FASE owns stock in Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck,
Portal Pharmaceuticals, and ICU Medical.

2 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the manner in which echocardiography services are
provided in all healthcare settings. As the pandemic unfolded, many non-urgent echo studies
were deferred in an attempt to reduce coronavirus transmission among patients and healthcare
workers, conserve personal protective equipment (PPE), and prepare for a potential surge of
COVID-19 patients. Although COVID-19 disease prevalence and new case trends continue to
differ substantially by region, many facilities are now planning resumption of non-urgent and
elective medical services.[1] Safe and efficient reintroduction of outpatient echocardiography
services will require consideration of appropriate timing of reopening based on projected
COVID-19 case trends, prioritizing procedure scheduling based on current or change in disease
acuity, applying exam protocols to address the clinical question while enhancing lab throughput,
implementing appropriate PPE and sanitization protocols, and performing pre-procedural
COVID-19 testing in certain patient cohorts.

When to reopen
The timing of reintroduction of non-urgent and elective echo procedures should be aligned with
institutional policies and follow recommendations of regional public health authorities.
Important considerations include local COVID-19 disease prevalence and new case trends, as
well as available institutional resources including facilities, staffing, and equipment (including
adequate supply of appropriate PPE). Resumption of echo services should be aligned with the
gradual introduction of a phasic reopening plan, which will vary by institution and region. A
summary of operational considerations is provided in Table 1.

Scheduling of deferred cases

Scheduling prioritization should be developed based on time in queue, patient symptom status,
and exam indication urgency. For instance, higher priority exams would include patients with
acute cardiovascular symptoms, or when echo is needed to guide further management (e.g.,
chemotherapy, preoperative evaluation). Routine indications for echo (e.g. annual echo
evaluation for chronic valve disease) may be deferred until more urgent cases have been
scheduled. In cases where the urgency is unclear, consultation with the referring physician is
critical. A suggested prioritization schedule is provided in Table 2.

Laboratory efficiency will be necessarily impacted due to the institution of social distancing
protocols in patient registration areas and waiting rooms. Potential solutions include staggered
scheduling, with additional appointments in the early morning, evening, and potentially during
weekends. Patients may be requested to wait in their cars in facility parking areas until contacted
by phone or text just prior to their scheduled appointment. Protocols should be based on
institution and human resource-specific policies while respecting regional guidelines for social
distancing. Labs may consider, at least during the initial response levels, lengthening the
duration between echo appointments (compared to pre-COVID), or to have open appointment

3 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

times built into the day. This will allow flexibility for unanticipated delays that invariably occur
as we restart in a new environment and with new protocols. For example, new entrance
procedures at hospital or clinic facilities, new sanitization protocols and use of PPE may result in
additional time required for the echocardiogram appointment. For reception and waiting areas,
floor markings and signs should guide arriving patients so they may queue at appropriate
distances apart from others. If possible, plexiglass or other physical barriers can be placed
between front desk staff and patients. Intake staff may also need to wear face shields for added
protection.

The physical layout of the reception area should also be re-evaluated and altered to provide
sufficient spacing between seated patients. Patients should also arrive without escorts unless
absolutely necessary for their appointment, and should leave the facility immediately following
the examination. Institutional and regional guidelines for universal masking will need to be
followed during the initial phase of reintroduction of services.

Considerations for scheduling of transesophageal echocardiograms

Scheduling prioritization for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is similar for transthoracic
echocardiograms (TTE). However, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements for TEE
are more advanced than those required for TTE, as TEE is considered an aerosol generating
procedure due to the potential to induce coughing in the un-intubated patient and the need for the
operator to be in close proximity to the patient. In addition to appropriate room cleaning
protocols, it is also important to schedule sufficient time between TEE studies to allow adequate
air flow exchanges within the TEE procedure room. This time is typically institution and exam
room specific, and guided by infection control policies. This time is generally 1 hour if HEPA
filters or other airflow management systems are not in place. Protocols will vary among
institutions depending on the phase of the reintroduction of services. Special rooms may be
designated for TEE procedures in COVID-19 positive or suspect cases.

Other considerations
As echo laboratories manage the backlog of deferred cases, the impact of schedule changes and
increase in workload on stress and fatigue among lab staff should also be considered. It is
important to recognize that staff have been under stress since the inception of the pandemic. As
social distancing is impractical for the performance of TTE, this adds additional stress to team
members. Effective communication of and strict adherence to safety protocols can help reduce
staff anxiety about returning to the work environment. Attention should be paid to the daily or
weekly staffing schedule to ensure appropriate assignment of workload and rest between cases
for all laboratory staff. Strategies to assist staff in coping with stress and enhancing resilience
should be incorporated. The ASE Wellness Center is an example of a website with helpful
resources for echocardiography providers.[2]

4 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Continued inclusion of learners will be important as echocardiography services resume. While
education remains a vital consideration in academic institutions, student learners may still need
to be excluded from high-risk examinations (e.g., TEE in COVID-19 cases), while trainees in an
advanced educational program should be incorporated in the daily schedule while minimizing
exposure risk. Opportunities for remote education using video conferencing should continue to
be used during the initial phases of reintroduction of services to minimize exposure. Institutions
will also need to plan for ensuring adequate PPE supplies and continued training in PPE use.

Protocol changes
In general, ASE recommends a comprehensive 2D echo for the evaluation of patient conditions,
particularly if there has been no prior echocardiographic evaluation, if there has been a long
interval since the prior study, or if there are new symptoms or signs. However, focused
protocols for select indications and limited exams for follow-up studies may still be considered,
particularly in patients with higher risk for COVID-19 illness. Focused or limited protocols allow
necessary imaging acquisition while limiting contact between sonographer and patient, and
promoting general safety. This balance between the completeness of data, and provider safety
should be considered for every protocol. A comprehensive discussion of the limited
echocardiographic examination has been published in a previous ASE guideline.[3] Point-of-care
protocols in the COVID-19 setting have also been discussed in a recent guideline.[4]

Sanitization protocols
Common areas such as waiting rooms and door handles should be regularly sanitized by cleaning
staff. If possible, non-cloth based seating material is preferred to facilitate sanitization.

Personal protective equipment

As healthcare providers, we have a duty to care for patients, but we must also continuously
consider the risk of occupational coronavirus transmission. Strategies to minimize risk to
sonographers, advanced practice providers, and physicians should balance this risk with the
judicious stewardship of PPE. Close cooperation and communication between echocardiography
lab leaders, cardiovascular service line leaders, institutional supply-chain directors, and regional
health authorities is essential to ensure appropriate protection of patients, sonographers, and
echocardiographers. There should be a plan in place to intensify or relax PPE protocols
depending on a variety of factors, including local COVID-19 prevalence and new case trends.

The levels of PPE used for echo examinations should broadly follow the recommendations of the
initial ASE COVID-19 statement.[5] Briefly, the levels or categories of PPE can be grouped as
follows:
• Standard precautions: Handwashing or hand sanitization, gloves, and surgical face mask.
• Droplet precautions: Surgical/isolation gown, double gloves, headcover (depending on
location), surgical facemask or N-95 level respirator and eye/face shield.

5 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

 • Airborne precautions: Add special masks (e.g. N-95 or N-99 respirator masks, or
powered air purifying respirator - PAPR systems), and shoe covers.

The levels of PPE used will depend on the phase of the response, local institutional policies, and
COVID-19 testing status. The proposed levels of response for reintroduction of services was
recently published by North American cardiovascular societies.[6] Briefly, Level 2 is the initial
phase of response with the reintroduction of select services. Level 1 reintroduces most services
with appropriate precautions and safeguards in place. Level 0 includes provision of all routine
services with ongoing COVID-19 testing and surveillance with monitoring of PPE supplies.[6]

Appropriate hand hygiene and equipment cleansing remains critical at all times. During the
initial phase of declining COVID-19 case admissions and partial reopening of services (response
level 2), standard precautions should be followed for outpatient TTE exams and require a
surgical mask for both the patient and provider(s).[7] This requirement for wearing surgical
facemasks may be adjusted in subsequent response levels as the pandemic abates from
‘mandatory’ to ‘recommended’ or ‘optional’. Meticulous disinfection of equipment and exam
areas including laboratory office spaces with viricidal agents should remain unchanged through
different response levels and is likely to become a permanent change induced by the pandemic.
Inpatient TTE exams should follow standard precautions for known COVID-19 negative cases,
and escalated to droplet precautions for ICU cases. During response levels 1 and 0, given lower
COVID-19 prevalence in the community, standard precautions may be considered appropriate in
ICU and other inpatient cases for TTE exams.

Transesophageal echocardiography: The level of PPE for TEE examinations deserves special
mention. TEE is considered an aerosol generating procedure, and airborne precautions are
recommended for COVID-19 positive or suspected, symptomatic cases when the TEE exam
cannot wait until test results are known. Droplet precautions should be followed for all other
TEEs performed during response level 2 including TEE exams performed in the surgical
operating room and hybrid operating rooms for structural heart interventions. The requirement
for a face shield is optional in known negative cases and should be judiciously considered in
context of local institutional resources and policies. Standard precautions may be considered
appropriate for TEEs performed during lower response levels when routine services have
resumed across the institution. Conservation of PPE is an important consideration in all
approaches to maintain preparedness for a surge in cases, while minimizing risk to providers
with reasonable certainty.

Exercise echocardiography: Exercise stress echocardiography can be considered a potentially

aerosol generating procedure, due to the frequent and heavy respiration generated during
exercise; this is in contrast to dobutamine stress echocardiography, which is not considered
aerosol-generating. Due to this potential for enhanced aerosol generation, all patients and

6 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

providers should consider wearing a surgical facemask at a minimum. In certain instances, N-95
masks may be warranted (coughing patient) at discretion of exercise echo operators.
Pharmacologic testing is preferred and alternate imaging modalities may be advisable for
symptomatic patients.

COVID-19 Screening and Testing

Facilities should establish COVID-19 symptom screening for all patients. This should be done at
multiple time points, including when the appointment is scheduled, during registration, and upon
arrival. Ongoing COVID-19 screening (e.g., symptom questionnaire, temperature testing) of all
patients is recommended prior to any echocardiographic examination, regardless of level of
response. Appropriate triage should be established for patients with symptoms consistent with
COVID-19. Subsequent COVID-19 testing may be reserved for symptomatic patients or those
who have failed the initial screening. Testing affords the opportunity to defer exams in patients
who are COVID positive, particularly when echo results are unlikely to alter immediate
management.

The sensitivity of different types of tests remains variable. At the time of writing this statement,
there were more than 65 different kinds of COVID-19 molecular or serologic tests available in
the United States tests that received emergency use authorizations by the US Food and Drug
Administration.[8] Since this is a new virus, past experience and recommendations for
standardized testing do not exist, leading to variability in sensitivity and specificity of each test
type.[9] The principal concern is false negative test results in asymptomatic individuals
presenting for an echocardiogram who could pose a transmission risk that could be amplified in a
healthcare setting. It is likely that as the pandemic abates, testing protocols will vary among
institutions to minimize the risk to both patients and providers. Rapid point-of-care tests that are
based on lateral flow technique to detect specific antibodies may be used for emergent inpatient
echocardiograms, while antigen-based tests with a longer turnaround time are recommended for
surveillance testing for electively scheduled cases. Testing and re-testing for SARS-CoV-2, and
procedures for patients to self-quarantine, if required, should follow institutional protocols
guided by local and regional health authorities.

Echocardiograms on COVID-19 positive patients

Echocardiograms should be deferred on COVID-19 positive patients, or patients under
investigation for COVID-19, when possible. Recommendations on echo exam timing in the
COVID-19 recuperative phase should be guided by infection control experts at the local
institution and focused on minimizing staff exposure, and ensuring the appropriate use of PPE.
However, patients post-COVID-19 recovery will require serial temporally negative COVID-19
tests, and resolution of respiratory symptoms (cough and shortness of breath) for a pre-specified
time interval. There may be instances when echocardiograms are required in acutely ill COVID-
19 patients. The indications will be similar to the prioritization schedule noted above.

7 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Development of special pathways for echo exams in COVID-19 patients should be considered
for infection control. Examples include dedicated clinic and testing areas for these patients, with
portable exams preferred including the use of focused protocols.[10] If dedicated areas are not
feasible, COVID-19 patients expected to arrive to the testing facility should be identified and
escorted directly into the echo exam room, bypassing the waiting area. A facemask should be
mandatory throughout the stay in the facility. Dedicated exam rooms and machines, including
portable systems for point of care exams for COVID-19 positive patients are recommended.
Additionally, procedure rooms and bathroom facilities require sanitization immediately after
each use which will require coordination with institutional hygiene/environmental services.
Consultation with local infection control experts will be helpful to confirm the adequacy of
proposed workflows for COVID-19 patients.

Special considerations for pediatric echocardiography laboratories

Guidelines for pediatric echocardiography, including fetal and transesophageal imaging during
the COVID-19 pandemic have recently been published.[11] As the medical community considers
reintroduction of services, there are several unique considerations for pediatric echocardiography
laboratories.

Workflow considerations
Children undergoing echocardiography are often uncooperative, particularly when under the age
of 3 years or when developmentally delayed. In addition, children typically have a caretaker in
the room when the echocardiogram is being completed. Furthermore, a complete pediatric
echocardiogram requires approximately 45-60 minutes to complete because of additional
pediatric views, complexity of disease and long sweeps.[12] These aspects of pediatric
echocardiography pose a higher risk of exposure to sonographers and physicians in the typical
inpatient and outpatient setting. Potential strategies to address these issues include the following:
• Communication between sonographer, echocardiography attending physician and
referring physician is vital, particularly if the echocardiography request/question to be
answered is unclear or to agree upon when to discontinue the study if the patient is
persistently uncooperative.
• Use of focused echocardiography protocols when possible (i.e. follow-up studies, answer
of a focused question) to limit exposure time.
• Routine use of higher level PPE for all pediatric echocardiograms including gloves,
surgical facemask and eye protection with a shield or goggles. The use of specific PPE
would need to be aligned with institutional policies. N-95 respirators may be considered
in high-risk cases.
• Permitting only one caretaker wearing a facemask at all times to accompany the patient in
the echocardiography examination room. Attempts should also be made to have the
patient wear a facemask when possible.

8 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

 • Patients and families should spend as little time in a waiting area as possible, so
consideration should be made to stagger appointment times and to room patients
immediately in the echocardiography examination room to limit exposure for the family
and health care providers.

Sedation
Many laboratories have sedation protocols which are utilized typically for children aged 3 weeks
to 3 years. These may include oral or intranasal medications or even inhaled anesthetics.[13]
Sedated echocardiograms are typically performed prior to a surgical or catheter-directed
intervention in order to assure that all pertinent information regarding structural abnormalities
and ventricular performance are obtained. Conscious sedation may be considered an aerosol
generating procedure in many institutions. Therefore, for the reintroduction of sedated
echocardiography services, SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing within 24 hours of the procedure should
be strongly considered. Many institutions now have turnaround time for PCR testing of 1-3
hours. Thus, testing could be performed on the day of the sedated echocardiogram. If PCR
testing is positive, consideration should be made to defer the sedated echocardiogram. For
conscious sedation in PCR negative patients, standard or droplet precautions may be used as
appropriate for the sonographer, sedation provider, and other health care providers in the room.
A mask could be place on the patient as long as he/she is monitored by a front-line provider with
expertise in monitoring patients undergoing conscious sedation. Centers using inhaled
anesthetics and intubation for sedated echocardiograms should consider conscious sedation
protocols to avoid more significant aerosolized procedures.

Finally, it has been noted that the majority of children who acquire COVID-19 are asymptomatic
or only suffer from mild symptoms. However, a new and troubling pediatric presentation of
COVID-19 has appeared, particularly in Europe and the United States. This “Pediatric Multi-
System Inflammatory Syndrome” includes fever, elevated inflammatory markers, abdominal
pain (sometimes mimicking appendicitis), vomiting, diarrhea and, in extreme cases, multi-organ
failure. SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing can be positive or negative but IgG antibodies are often
positive. The presentation can look similar to Kawasaki disease or toxic-shock syndrome with
some reports of myocarditis, ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias and coronary artery
aneurysms. [14, 15] Elevated B-natriuretic peptide, troponin, WBC, CRP, and ferritins have been
reported. Pediatric echocardiographers need to be aware of this illness and its echocardiographic
findings. Serial echocardiograms, even daily for those in the critical care setting, may be required
given the rapid evolution and changes in function. Importantly, children who present with these
symptoms should be treated as if they are COVID-19 positive even if testing is negative. Thus,
higher level PPE with N-95 masks or airborne precautions should be used to image the patients
when an echocardiogram is needed. Moreover, a focused echocardiogram should be performed
when possible to limit exposure time and the echocardiography machine should be
decontaminated after the study is completed.

9 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Conclusion
As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes from its initial surge, cardiovascular diagnostic services
must be safely reintroduced. There will be a continued need to ensure that coronavirus
transmission risk is minimized. PPE considerations include the balance between current local
coronavirus transmission risk with the adequacy of current PPE stores, and supply chain
capabilities. Monitoring of patients and providers for COVID-19 resurgence will be key in
determining the response level of the institution and protocols for diagnostic echocardiograms.

10 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

References
1. CDC. Opening Up America Again. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-
flexibility-reopen-essential-non-covid-services.pdf. Published 2020. Accessed May 11,
2020.
2. ASE. ASE Cares Wellness Center. American Society of Echocardiography.
https://www.asecho.org/covid-19-resources/ase-wellness-center/. Published 2020.
Accessed May 13, 2020.
3. Mitchell C, Rahko PS, Blauwet LA, Canaday B, Finstuen JA, Foster MC, et al.
Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Transthoracic Echocardiographic
Examination in Adults: Recommendations from the American Society of
Echocardiography. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2019;32:1-64.
4. Johri AM, Galen B, Kirkpatrick JM, Lanspa M, Mulvagh SL, Thamman R. ASE
Statement on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Pandemic. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2020;33:670-3.
5. Kirkpatrick JN, Mitchell C, Taub C, Kort S, Hung J, Swaminathan M. ASE Statement on
Protection of Patients and Echocardiography Service Providers During the 2019 Novel
Coronavirus Outbreak. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2020;33:648-53.
6. Wood DA, Mahmud E, Thourani VH, Sathananthan J, Virani A, Poppas A, et al. Safe
Reintroduction of Cardiovascular Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Guidance
from North American Society Leadership. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020; S0735-
1097(20)35165-2.
7. Leung NHL, Chu DKW, Shiu EYC, Chan KH, McDevitt JJ, Hau BJP, et al. Respiratory
virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks. Nat Med. 2020;
10.1038/s41591-020-0843-2.
8. FDA. Emergency Use Authorizations. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-
situations-medical-devices/emergency-use-authorizations#covid19ivd. Published 2020.
Accessed May 5, 2020.
9. Patel R, Babady E, Theel ES, Storch GA, Pinsky BA, St. George K, et al. Report from
the American Society for Microbiology COVID-19 International Summit, 23 March
2020: Value of Diagnostic Testing for SARS–CoV-2/COVID-19. mBio.
2020;11:e00722-20.
10. Kaminski A, Payne A, Roemer S, Ignatowski D, Khandheria BK. Answering to the Call
of Critically Ill Patients: Limiting Sonographer Exposure to COVID-19 With Focused
Protocols. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2020; https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.echo.2020.05.006.
11. Barker PCA, Lewin MB, Donofrio MT, Ensing GJ, Arya B, Swaminathan M. Specific
Considerations for Pediatric, Fetal, and Congenital Heart Disease Patients and
Echocardiography Service Providers During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak:
Council on Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Supplement to the Statement of the
American Society of Echocardiography Endorsed by the Society of Pediatric
Echocardiography and the Fetal Heart Society. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2020;33:658-65.

11 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

 12. Lai WW, Geva T, Shirali GS, Frommelt PC, Humes RA, Brook MM, et al. Guidelines
and standards for performance of a pediatric echocardiogram: a report from the Task
Force of the Pediatric Council of the American Society of Echocardiography. J Am Soc
Echocardiogr. 2006;19:1413-30.
13. Nicolson SC, Montenegro LM, Cohen MS, O'Neill D, Calfin D, Jones LA, et al. A
comparison of the efficacy and safety of chloral hydrate versus inhaled anesthesia for
sedating infants and toddlers for transthoracic echocardiograms. J Am Soc Echocardiogr.
2010;23:38-42.
14. Harahsheh AS, Dahdah N, Newburger JW, Portman MA, Piram M, Tulloh R, et al.
Missed or Delayed Diagnosis of Kawasaki Disease During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. J Pediatr. 2020; S0022-3476(20)30556-4.
15. Shekerdemian LS, Mahmood NR, Wolfe KK, Riggs BJ, Ross CE, McKiernan CA, et al.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Children With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Infection Admitted to US and Canadian Pediatric Intensive Care Units. JAMA Pediatr.
2020. May 11. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1948.

12 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

 Table 1: Operational considerations for reintroduction of echocardiography services
Operational area Workflow Considerations
Scheduling • Create priority tiers (see Table 2).
• Contact patients using digital communication (e.g., EMR portal, phone, email).
• Screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms at multiple time points – initial
call/contact, pre-appointment phone call, and at front desk on arrival. Include
temperature screening in initial phase.
• Consider COVID-19 testing of symptomatic patients prior to appointment.*
Consider testing prior to all potentially aerosol generating procedures regardless
of symptoms.
• Limit patient escorts/visitors to only essential/required.
• Adequate spacing between exams to allow time for sanitization protocols and
minimal in-facility wait time for patients.
Environmental • Disinfection of bathroom facilities after each use.
• Disinfection of examination room and equipment between exams.
• Designated special exam rooms with reserved equipment for COVID-19
patients.
• Airborne isolation rooms for TEEs in COVID-19 positive cases. Ensure
adequate air exchange time between cases for complete clearance of airborne
particles.
• Sanitization of reading rooms and common staff areas.
Waiting area • Communication with patients about readiness for exam prior to arrival in
reception/waiting area (e.g., text messaging, phone call). Minimize use of
paper-based communication (e.g., forms, financial transactions) by using digital
methods (e.g. online form completion or payment systems).
• Ensure appropriate social distancing norms between patients and reception staff
(e.g., plexiglass barriers) and between patients themselves (e.g., floor markings
in front of reception, distance between waiting area chairs).
• Disinfection material (e.g., sanitation wipes/hand sanitizers) available for
general use.
• Facemasks available for patient/escort and all staff members.
Staffing • COVID-19 screening of staff per institutional policies.
• Adequate staffing for covering backlog of cases (extended hours/weekends).
• Strategies to cope with stress and enhance resilience during periods of increased
workload.
• Monitoring of PPE supplies to ensure uninterrupted operations in all work areas
(adult, stress, pediatric, intraoperative).
• Appropriate social distancing and sanitization in reading rooms, break areas and
staff lounges.

Footnotes:
Abbreviations: EMR = electronic medical record; TEE = Transesophageal echocardiography
* = Screening and COVID-19 testing of patients should follow local institutional policies and
recommendations from regional health authorities

13 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org

Table 2: Suggested prioritization tiers for rescheduling echocardiography exams
Footnote

Priority Tiers Basis for Priority Rating Examples

• Active or recent change Dyspnea, chest pain, syncope, TIA, new
in cardiovascular arrhythmia, child with new cardiovascular
symptoms symptoms and/or cyanosis.
• Recent procedure Post-device implantation arrhythmias or
requiring urgent follow- pericardial effusion. Post-cardiac surgery
up assessment, including VAD complications.
• Safety monitoring for Chemotherapy, clinical trial safety
Tier 1 (High
therapy (even if endpoint.
Priority)
asymptomatic)
• Echo required prior to Preoperative workup for surgery that is
therapy (preoperative- required for significant functional
urgent) limitation; LVEF assessment prior to CIED
procedure for primary prevention. Baseline
assessment prior to initiation of
chemotherapy.
• Asymptomatic but with Cardiomyopathy; severe valve disease
chronic cardiac disease (AS, MR, AR); pulmonary hypertension;
that requires monitoring arrhythmias; pericardial effusion.
for progression Progression of disease after intervention
(recurrent coarctation, conduit stenosis)
• Therapy that requires Pulmonary artery systolic pressure
ongoing monitoring estimation in patients receiving parenteral
Tier 2 (Medium
therapy for pulmonary hypertension. Anti-
Priority)
rejection therapy after cardiac transplant.
Treatment for Kawasaki disease. Follow-
up assessment of VAD function in stable
patients.
• Echo required prior to Preoperative workup for non-urgent
therapy (preoperative surgery
but non-urgent)
Tier 3 (Low • Routine follow up for Hypertension, coronary artery disease;
Priority) chronic disease annual evaluation for aortic disease or
prosthetic valve function (normal function
on prior exam and no new symptoms)

Additional issues that are not explicitly listed may also impact the prioritization, including
duration of test deferral, and whether echo test is needed prior to further non-urgent therapy.
Integration of these factors should also be considered when rescheduling patients. Consultation
with referring provider is encouraged if priority of echo study is unclear.
Abbreviations: CIED = cardiac implantable electrical device; LVEF = left ventricular ejection
fraction; VAD = ventricular assist device.

14 American Society of Echocardiography ASEcho.org