Neighborhood Health Ultrasound Program

For many patients, getting an ultrasound can mean another appointment, another location, another wait, and sometimes a trip to the emergency room. At Neighborhood Health, an innovative in-house ultrasound program is helping bring this important diagnostic tool directly into the primary care setting. 

Led by Dr. David Killeen, a family medicine physician with specialized fellowship training in point-of-care ultrasound, the program allows Neighborhood Health providers to use ultrasound as part of a patient’s care at the health center. 

The program has become particularly valuable for prenatal patients. Some patients begin prenatal care while uninsured or while waiting for Medicaid coverage, which can make obtaining an outside ultrasound difficult or delayed care. In-house ultrasound can help answer important early questions about pregnancy and give patients an opportunity to discuss what is happening with a provider they know and trust. 

For Dr. Killeen, that personal connection is one of the biggest advantages. 

Rather than waiting for imaging at another facility and then waiting again for results to reach their provider, patients can often see what is happening and talk about the findings and next steps during their visit. 

The service extends beyond prenatal care. Dr. Killeen estimates that approximately 60% of the ultrasounds he performs are prenatal, while the remainder address needs throughout the body, including soft-tissue masses and liver disease. 

The program also reflects Neighborhood Health’s commitment to meeting patients where they are. Dr. Killeen recalled recently performing an ultrasound while a mother held her crying one-year-old, a small accommodation that made it possible for her to receive the care she needed without having to reschedule. 

“I think a lot of it centers around providing this comfortable space that I don’t think the patients would get otherwise,” he said. 

Now, Neighborhood Health is working to expand that capacity by training additional providers in ultrasound. The goal is to make the technology and expertise more widely available across Neighborhood Health’s clinics, particularly at locations providing prenatal care. 

For Dr. Killeen, ultrasound is more than technology. It is another way to make high-quality care more accessible, timely and personal.