How Should an SLP Advocate for Instrumentals??

Fear should not be the reason we do something in healthcare.
For many SLPs, the fear of patient harm or missing a potentially impactful diagnosis can drive decisions that are based on irrationality, not evidence based practice.
On the flip side, even if there’s legitimate concern, many SLPs are still having to fight for instrumental swallow studies. So what can we do about it?
How do we successfully advocate for instrumentals without needing to shout it from the rooftops and bang our heads against the wall?
As a former business owner providing instrumentals, this is a topic I’m particularly passionate about, and one that I’m excited to share tips, resources, and my own personal experiences.
It is much easier to get access to instrumental assessments in your building if you know how to “talk the talk”. If your administrator only wants to know the dollars and cents, then find that out.
If they are concerned with clinical outcomes, research those too. Either one is not wrong or right, it's just how different facilities operate and it’s up to you to learn to speak their language.
While this particular video will not go into all of the reasons that we need access to instrumentation for our patients as the research is overwhelming, please check out the ASHA Practice Portal for the clinical implications of instrumental assessments if you’re needing more support.
Watch and Enjoy!
Theresa Richard
VIDEO RESOURCE:
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You can also check out the free MedSLP Collective clipboard kit for access to editorial reviewed resources on other various conditions that we treat.
medslpcollective.com/clipboard
KEY MOMENTS IN THE EPISODE:
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00:00 How Should an SLP Advocate for Instrumentals??
01:37 Talk About Clinical Outcomes and How They Influence Payment...
06:34 Talk their language “MONEY”
8:20 Talk Ethics, Rules, and Laws… it matters.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT:
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FEES vs. VFSS | Which Tool Is Best To Use For My Patients?:
• FEES vs. VFSS | Which ...
ACCESS TO MED SLP RESOURCES:
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Get my Amazon and Barnes & Noble Best Selling Book;
So You're Having Trouble Swallowing: The essential guide to basic swallowing, swallowing disorders, and navigating care. theresarichard.com/book
Listen to the Swallow Your Pride Podcast:
Dive deeper into the issues that speech-language pathologists face when working with patients with swallowing disorders. swallowyourpridepodcast.com
MedSLPEd (an approved ASHA CEU provider):
Offering live and recorded online courses that fill the gap between grad school and clinical practice. Each course is in-depth, goes far beyond the textbook rhetoric, and focuses on case-based learning. medslped.com/
MedSLP Clipboard Kit:
30 blind editorial reviewed resources written by 15 contributors with over 150 references to support its contents. medslpcollective.com/clipboard
MedSLP Pediatric Clipboard Kit:
Get instant access to blind editorial-reviewed pediatric resources for Medical SLPs with references to support its contents. info.medslpcollective.com/med...
CITED ARTICLES:
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ASHA Practice Portal
www.asha.org/practice-portal/
Leder, S.B., Espinosa, M.S. Aspiration risk after acute stroke: comparison of clinical examination and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. Dysphagia. 2002; 17:214-218.
Logemann, J. A. (1993). The dysphagia diagnostic procedure as a treatment efficacy trial. Clinics in Communication Disorders, 3(4), 1-10.
www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare...
American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Preferred practice patterns for the profession of speech-language pathology [Preferred Practice Patterns]. 2004.
ABOUT THERESA RICHARD::
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Theresa Richard, a medical speech pathologist for 15+ years, is a board certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders, and the founder and CEO of the MedSLP Collective and MedSLP Education. Theresa is also the mother of a son with severe disabilities who humbles her daily and is the inspiration behind all of the work she does in the world.
Theresa, host of Swallow Your Pride Podcast, has over 3 million unique downloads, and her book “So You’re Having Trouble Swallowing'' is an Amazon and Barnes and Noble best seller.
Theresa Richard, M.A. CCC-SLP, BCS-S - Medical Speech Language Pathologist
www.TheresaRichard.com/
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