August 2008 Newsletter
Consultants in Dysphagia Evaluation and Management
817-514-MBS1 or 1-888-514-MBS1
www.dysphagiadiagnostex.com
August 2008
Clinical Café Newsletter
By: Ronda Polansky M.S. CCC-SLP
Monthly Motivator: Achievement
Achievement lies in the honest endeavor to do your best under all circumstances.
Upcoming Conference
ESTIM CONFERENCE in DFW area Saturday August 23, 2008. Registration form included. Limited to 50 seats, get your reservations in early!
August Dates to Remember
BACK TO SCHOOL!
5th – National Night Out www.natw.org
22nd – Be an Angel Day – A day to do “one small act of service for someone” www.earthangel4peace.com
Alzheimer’s Memory Walk (August –November) www.alz.org
Upcoming Holiday
DiagnosTEX will be closed on Labor Day, Monday September 1, 2007. Please consider this when scheduling at the end of this month. Enjoy the holiday!
History of Labor Day – Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general “last fling of summer” festival. It has come to be recognized in the U.S. not only as a celebration of the working class, but even more so as the unofficial end of the summer season. In March 1887, the first state law to declare the day a legal holiday was passed in Colorado, followed by New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. In 1894 the U.S. Congress made the day a legal holiday. Labor Day is the celebration of the value and dignity of work, and its role in the American way of life.
Medicare Cuts and Therapy Cap
With strong bi-partisan support both the House of Representatives (383-41) and Senate (70-26) voted to override the White House veto of H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. The President vetoed the bill, due to concerns that the proposed cuts to the Medicare Advantage private fee for services plans would decrease access to Medicare services in rural and underserved areas. Passage of the law will allow speech-language pathologists in private practice to enroll in the Medicare program effective July 2009 and recognize audiologists as eligible to receive a bonus payment under Medicare’s quality reporting initiative. Both provisions must now go through the regulatory phase at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new law will also allow Medicare to continue reimbursing providers at the 2008 physician fee schedule rates, and increase Part B payment 1.1% for 2009. The therapy cap exceptions process is extended through December 2009.
Blue Cross Blue Shields – new requirement for MBSS
BCBS is now requiring a copy of the referring physician’s history and physical for the MBSS. Please send this along with the paperwork when scheduling the MBSS. This is required whether BCBS is primary or secondary.
Texas Summers
HOT! HOT! HOT! Shall I describe it any other way??? Unfortunately this time of year is one we in the mobile business all dread! Often due to hot temperatures, being parked on hot concrete in the sun, running A/C on high, and sitting on one location for long periods of time, can cause our generators to over heat. We take all precautions and maintain all required and preventative maintenance on them to strive to ensure this does not happen, but the Texas Summer can be unforgiving and generators can only get so hot in triple digit temperatures. Please be aware if these generator issues occur we may have to adjust your scheduled time. Anytime we can park under any portico (covered entrance at the front of a building), would be helpful to us, your patients, and the completion of your studies. Please check with your Administrators on this. Thank you for your understanding. Stay cool!
New DiagnosTEX SLP Give-aways – Resource/Reference sheets – TASTE
TASTE – Ask for yours next time we see you.
Pre- Thickened Coffee too (nectar or honey consistency) – Aqua Care H2O
AquaCareH2O tastes like water and looks like water. Unlike starch based products, there are no masking agents or flavor additives in AquaCareH2O. What this means is, that your residents can taste the water. AquaCareH2O is ready to use with any concentrate to give the patient a quality drink of coffee, juice, or a flavored drink. When necessary it can be combined with purees, foods such as beans or carrots, to give the patient a flavorful meal that is easy to swallow. It looks and tastes like water. For patients/residents who need to stay hydrated, but have difficulty swallowing, Clearly Superior brings a superior choice to the thickened water market. Made from pristine artesian water from deep within the earth’s surface, AquaCareH2O enhances the quality of life for people diagnosed with dysphagia.
Versatile. It’s just like water. Drink it as is, mix it with beverage concentrates, boil it, freeze it.
Because AquaCareH2O is fiber based, there are no sugars that can be broken down. All of the products including the prethickened coffee are packaged in either; convenient 1.5 gallon half-packs with spigot attachments bound together into 3 gallon masterpacks, or 3 gallon packaging with QCD attachments. You can contact them at 877-407-2518 or view the product at www.aquacareH2o.com. Sample some at our next conference.
Dysphagia Tidbit – SLICK DIET
The 'Slick Diet' came out of Portland, Oregon. The purpose is to lubricate the esophageal lining to assist in smooth passage thru esophagus. Works well with people with a scarred esophageal lining. It was not developed for a dysphagia of any kind.
Jello Compound :
2 - 4 cups jello
ADD 1/4 cup cool liquid per cup (or 1/2 cup cool liquid to 2 cups).
MIX up and place in Fridge
Pt. eats jello in 1:1 ratio to their reg. food (1 bite food/1 bite jello)
Remember to do the jello, the patient must be safe on thin liquids