August 2011 Newsletter
Clinical Café Newsletter
By: Ronda Polansky M.S. CCC-SLP
Monthly Motivator: Your work is to discover your skill and then with all your heart to give yourself to it. That’s the mark of a true professional.
When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.
STAY COOL!
Texas Summers – HOT! HOT! HOT! Unfortunately this time of year is one we dread in the mobile business! Hot temperatures, being parked on hot concrete in the sun, running A/Cs on high, and/or sitting in one location for long periods of time can often cause our generators to overheat. We take numerous precautions, provide extensive preventative maintenance on our equipment and strive to ensure this does not happen… but the Texas summer can be unforgiving! Generators can only get “so hot” in triple digit temperatures before yielding to the heat. Please be aware that IF these generator issues occur, we may have to adjust your scheduled time. It would be helpful (to us, your patients, and the completion of your studies) if we can park under a portico or in a shaded area. Please check with your administrators on this; we appreciate your understanding and flexibility during these hot summer months.
Reminder – History/Consult Forms – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!
THERE ARE 2 HISTORY/CONSULT FORMS for DiagnosTEX:
1 FOR HOME HEALTH ONLY AND 1 FOR ALL OTHER LOCATIONS REQUESTING SERVICE.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU USE THE CORRECT FORM.
If the form says “HOME HEALTH” at the top, this form is for home health patients only. If it says “FACILITY” at the top of the form, this is for all other locations (such as LTC facilities and rehab hospitals). Throw away ALL old copies of the history/consult forms and immediately begin using these new forms. This is of critical importance! If you do not have a copy of the one you need, please call our office. We will be happy to get one to you!
Support Parkinson’s SPEAK OUT – Texas Voice Project for Parkinson’s disease will be hosting a special annual event. “SPEAK OUT: Speaking Out for Parkinson’s” is to be held on Saturday, September 10th 2011. The event location will be the Eisemann Center for performing Arts in Richardson, which seats 1500. The purpose of this “SPEAK OUT” event is two-fold. It will begin with a musical performance by Parkinson’s patients who have received treatment and are now able to ‘SPEAK OUT’ using their new and improved voices. A reception will follow for all patrons and performers. The event will conclude with a panel discussion led by distinguished Parkinson’s physicians and specialists who will address those issues most concerning to the Parkinson’s population. Former Dallas Cowboy Randy White will be a guest speaker. For more information or to register, please contact Texas Voice Project at 972-744-4650. Tickets are $30.00 per person. Visit www.eisemanncenter.com
Upcoming E-Stim courses
Tulsa, Oklahoma – August 13th
Albuquerque, New Mexico – August 27th
For more information on these courses, please call 682-561-2444.
Oral Motor Management educational handout! Ask for yours next time we see you.
MBSS audio and observation on the mobile clinic –
We request that anyone observing on the mobile clinic keep conversation at minimum and voices low. The MBSS includes audio recording for the medical record (which is of critical importance for clear documentation of what occurs during the study, not the conversation in the background). The audio portion of the DVD is a medical record of the study and important for liability issues. Additionally, our physician (also participating in the diagnostic procedure and running the X-ray equipment) is located behind a lead wall, and should be afforded minimal distraction from extraneous conversation. The physician needs to be able to clearly hear the DTEX SLP verbally document the swallow, and indicate when the imaging should be turned on and off. Peripheral conversation or commenting in the background can be quite distracting sometimes to the patient but also to the DTEX SLP actually performing the MBSS.
The primary focus is and should be on the patient and the study, with limited diversions.
Though we understand you want to educate families, students, etc., we ask for your attentiveness to this request. We can certainly answer questions before and after the study, or if necessary between administrations. Thank you for your consideration and compliance to this serious matter.
Regular vs. Soft Regular – Regular diets have no restrictions at all. Soft regular diets eliminate hard crunchy consistencies (e.g., hard shell tacos, popcorn, fried chicken, nachos, tougher meat textures, etc.) We realize that “soft regular” may not be a typical diet consistency commonly offered in a long-term care setting. Please understand we make diet recommendations based on patient needs (as determined during MBSS), NOT based facility limitations or restrictions. The treating SLP should take the recommendation and as necessary, adjust the diet to closely match according to that patient’s current facility provisions. This report is customized to the patient and should follow the patient as part of the medical record if/when they are transferred or discharged. Diet consistencies can range widely from facility to facility, so diet recommendations cannot be facility-specific (especially with the possibility of the report and patient leaving a certain place and/or moving to another).
Diets are patient-specific.
New office location – DiagnosTEX will be moving offices and will be relocating on September 1st. Please note our new address: 500 Grapevine Hwy #106, Hurst, TX 76054. Our phone number and fax number will remain the same.
Upcoming Holiday – DiagnosTEX will be closed on Labor Day, Monday September 5, 2011. Please keep this in consideration this when scheduling your studies.
Nutra/Balance – new products for pre-thickened, ready-to-serve liquids! – This will be exciting to some patients: cola flavored pre-thickened beverage! It really did have a “cola” flavor. (I tried it!) There are no added sugars, the product has no carbs (ideal for diabetics), is pre-thickened to nectar or honey consistency and packed in 48, 4-oz cups! They also have pre-thickened water in nectar, honey and pudding consistency, ready-to-serve. The water has no taste, no starch and no sugars! The company’s “Thik and Clear” instant food thickener can be used in hot or cold foods and reaches maximum thickness in 5 minutes. Call 800-654-3691 for more information or for samples. Interesting products!!