Newsletter :: June 2005
Monthly Motivator
Every job is a self portrait of the person who did it….Autograph your work with excellence.
Happy Fathers Day to all Fathers!
Summer Begins June 21st !
Fly your American Flag high with pride on Flag Day, June 14th!
Conferences!!!
We are presenting our E-Stim conference again in Houston July 9th. For more information on this conference call Professional Imaging at 1-281-272-6279.
There is limited seating, so get registered early!!!!
Advanced Staffing has also asked me to present Dysphagia Program Development and Management in Tyler, Texas on July 23rd. For More information on this conference please contact them at 877-SLP-PT-OT.
Wondering when DiagnosTEX will host another???????? We will have another local DFW
Conference in August. We are planning some small conferences with several days for you to choose from. These mini conferences will be called Deciphering Dysphagia with E-STIM Q & A. Bring your devices and all your questions and lets get together and review the basics again and answer any questions your might have about treatment, settings, devices, etc., etc. I will keep you informed.
NPO Booklets for Speech pathologist and their Patient’s!
If you have not received your May Better Speech and Hearing Month Gift (NPO Booklet) from us, let us know. Also make sure you are up to date on your SLP reference sheets. I know it is June already, but if you do not have a 2005 calendar we have a few left, so let us know and we will get you one. We have pens too!
DIAGNOSTEX – Go with the Best!
We will give you a better study in a timely manner ! Do not let local competitors try to bypass you (SLP) by going to Administrators or Corp. offices, trying to obtain business by lowering price. DiagnosTEX will be competitive with any price. Remember if the price is too good to be true you
are typically getting what you are paying for. If you would like references, which have used us and also the local competitors, please let us know.
Dysphagia Cups
I have put this in the newsletter before, but recently I have had a lot of calls for this information so I though I would share it again.
- Rolyan Cup – tool for precisely quantifying sips. Cup adjusts from 2.5 ml to 20 ml.
- Dysphagia cup – weighted base slows tremors to help self drinking
· Sip-Tip – reduced amount of air ingested, less coughing and choking on some individuals
· Pre-Set drinking cup – preset measured cup delivers 1 tsp of liquid per sip. Holds 7 oz.
AliMed Dysphagia Catalog 800-225-2610
AliMed also is a resource for Resource Thickened Beverages Brik Paks for adults and kids – 27 (8oz) to a case.
Quality Assurance –
DiagnosTEX is the only Mobile MBSS company that completes QA in 2 forms to ensure the highest quality service:
- We follow up on every patient we service and a QA report is completed monthly
- We also do internal QA on our SLP’s and the MBSS they have completed to make sure all recommendations and diagnosis are appropriate. The QA is reviewed by 2 or more SLP’s of over 10 years experience in doing Modified Barium Swallow Studies.
In April, 69% of the patients were removed off of tube feeding. Twenty-eight percent of the patients were able to continue PO feeding with use of strategies. Twenty-four percent were silent aspirators!
Dysphagia Tidbit
Treatment to Side Effects after Radiation Treatment – M. Crary PhD, 2005
Mucositis
- Bland Rinses (0.9% normal saline and/or sodium bicarbonate solutions/baking soda)
- Mucousal coating agents ( antacids, kaolin solutions)
- Water soluble lubricating agents including artificial saliva
- Topical Anesthetics ( viscous lidocaine, benzocaine sprays/gels, dyclonine rinses, diphenhydramine solutions)
- Cellulose film forming agents for covering localized ulcerative lesions
Xerostomia
· Increase fluid intake
· Ice chips during and after RT
· Artificial saliva
· Salivary Stimulants – chewing gun, Biotene products
· Amifostine
· Salagen – this will increase secretions including sweat.
· Avoid brown liquids/carbonated drinks
Uses a soft toothbrush to maintain oral hygiene, foam swabs do not effectively clean teeth.
To enhance Taste consider Zinc sulfate supplements ( 220 mg tid or bid), alter feeding regimes, and enhance flavors.