Newsletter :: October 2006
Monthly Motivator
EXCELLENCE
Our lives are a reflection of what we focus on each day
Last Conference for 2006
San Antonio, Texas – Dysphagia Scene Investigators (DSI) – October 28th, 2006
Professional Imaging LLC is a Mobile MBSS company in East Texas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, not a part of DiagnosTEX, LLC. They have invited me as a guest speaker; please call their Corp office 1-866-675-MBSS to register or any questions. Professional Imaging has been generous enough to invite all SLP’s using DiagnosTEX to attend for free.
We will begin our quarterly conferences again the 1st quarter of 2007!
New SLP handout
Internet Sites and Resources for SLP’s – Be sure to get yours next time we see you!
DiagnosTEX educational day – Many of the DiagnosTEX SLP’s are taking a day for continuing education, there will only be one van running on Friday October 13th. Please keep this in mind when scheduling. We will do our best to meet your needs promptly and double up before and after the 13th to make sure we get to you as timely as possible. Thank you for understanding and allowing us a day to grow professionally!
DiagnosTEX will be fully operational on Columbus Day
New Mutual of Omaha Regs have raised some questions
Question we are receiving: Mutual changes that went into effect on 7-2-06. I read this to say that the doctor actually needs to see the patient to order the MBSS. Let me know your thoughts?
They way we read it and have been advised is that the Doctor must examine the patient to initiate therapy, not the evaluation. The evaluation can be initiated and used as part of the information needed for him to exam the patient and establish a dysphagia diagnosis. Documentation, including the MBS, will support the need for dysphagia therapy. It says “Patients needing “dysphagia therapy” require appropriate evaluation and workup in to order to establish the appropriate therapy required”, the MBS is part of that workup. It also says “patients must be selected for therapy after a proper medical diagnostic evaluation by A physician, the work-up must document whether the difficult involves the oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal phase of the swallowing”. Our documentation of the MBS does this by A physician. They also say that “a proper medical diagnostic evaluation refers to procedures including MBS and can be in collaboration between A physician, AN, SLP, and/or therapist”, that also includes us. This has not changed how we operate at all. We will
recommend therapy, but the facility SLP will be required to make sure she/he has that medical work-up and diagnosis from the ordering physician before in initiating therapy.
E-Stim Research results are exciting We have been doing some research on Russ Campbell, Rick McAdoo, and my E-Stim protocol, we have compiled results. I am excited to report that from the data sheets returned to me so far, that 50%of the patients have improved with upgrade diets or back to regular and thin liquids. Of the other 50%, half of them had been D/C to the hospital or home before TX was completed so they did not finish TX therefore will not be included in the study. The rest are ongoing with TX. Therefore, in reality all the patients that have finished full 8 week treatment, so far, did have an upgrade in diet and that makes it 100% of the patients improving. Thank you to ALL the SLP’s participating!!!!!! Keep up the good work.
DiagnosTEX Feedback – Thanks for the calls, emails, and faxes!
- I have found ANOTHER good reason to use DiagnosTEX! Because of the on hands involvement of the DiagnosTEX physician on board, not seen with other companies, my patient was diagnosed with dysphagia and with CHF on the spot and CHF was unknown as a past history and was this was addressed immediately at the facility! Thanks DiagnosTEX, great job and great qualified physicians!! Elizabeth, Haltom City
- DiagnosTEX noticed a structural abnormality, documented their concerns, contacted the physician and the pt was referred for further evaluation and was found to have a laryngeal tumor! Thanks DiagnosTEX you may have saved this patients life! Lori, DFW
THCA CONVENTION – TELL YOUR ADMINISTRATORS and DON’s we will see them there Look for DiagnosTEX at the Texas Health Care Association Convention in San Antonio on October 8-10th! Stop by and visit the booth! We have some great give-aways and a drawing for an IPOD!
Dysphagia Tidbit – Enteryx is a device made of a polymer and a solvent that is permanently implanted into the wall of the lower esophagus of patients who suffer from acid reflux disease. ENTERYX® is used to treat patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A physician injects the ENTERYX® liquid into the inside muscle wall of the esophagus, close to where it joins the stomach (i.e., the lower esophageal sphincter). The liquid then thickens into a sponge-like substance within the muscle where it helps the sphincter act as a barrier to stomach acids, preventing the acids from entering the esophagus and eventually the throat. The company has received reports that in rare cases, physicians may inadvertently inject the ENTERYX® liquid into areas close to the esophagus, including other vital organs. This can result in serious health complications for the patient, including internal bleeding, reduced kidney function, and death. Even though doctors monitor patients during and immediately after the procedure to make sure they inject ENTERYX® in the right location, they may not detect some cases of improper injection right away. Symptoms that patients may experience if ENTERYX® is improperly injected include:
- Pain in the chest or side
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- DYSPHAGIA
- Significant weight loss
- Fever
- “Flu-like” symptoms
- Fainting
- Weakness
- Fatigue
To date, all known cases of improper injection of ENTERYX® were discovered within three weeks of the procedure in patients experiencing these symptoms. (www.Heartburn.about.com, Sharon Gillson, 2006)