Swallow Your Pride Podcast

Ever face a clinical decision for a dysphagia patient where each option feels too risky? Or maybe you stick to the conservative side of decision-making. Better safe than sorry…. Until you learn that what you thought was safe is actually harmful. How are we supposed to know? What can actually guide us toward making better […] The post 329 – A New Kind of Journal for Med SLPs? Decisions, decisions… appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, right? For a lot of SLPs, it can be hard to do that. Maybe we think our job would crumble without us. Maybe we think we have no other choice but to just accept the sour situations life throws at us. If you’re feeling trapped in a particularly unsavory situation right now, let THIS episode serve as your inspiration and motivation to follow your passion and make the career pivot you’re meant to make. Melissa Grassia Chisholm, M.S. CCC-SLP, was working full-time in a hospital when her son was diagnosed with leukemia. With her world completely flipped upside-down, she made the decision to leave her job and build a virtual voice clinic instead so she could be with her son while pursuing her passion. Tune in to this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast to hear how Melissa did it, what her virtual clinic looks like, her goals to expand globally, and the EXACT moment she knew that leaving her hospital was the right move. If you or someone you know is searching for affordable and accessible voice therapy, you’re invited to check out Melissa’s virtual clinic at TheVoiceRehab.com. Use the promo code “swallowyourpride” to get 10% off the first month of her Voice Rehab Program! Episode Website: https://syppodcast.com/328 Listen to more episodes of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast TIMESTAMPS: Melissa's Career Background (00:01:05) Melissa's Vocal Health Struggles (00:06:14) Leadership Role at Cleveland Clinic (00:08:33) Transition to Private Practice (00:10:53) Balancing Family and Career (00:13:06) Blood Test Results and Hospital Visit (00:15:11) Leukemia Treatment Journey (00:19:07) Career Transition and Growth (00:20:04) Mentorship and Team Building (00:22:01) Addressing Healthcare Cuts and Virtual Clinic (00:25:42) Live Group Coaching (00:30:16) Affordable Teletherapy (00:31:23) Legal and Medicare Guidelines (00:32:55) Patient Support and Navigation (00:34:33) Care in Healthcare (00:36:39) Inspiring Passion and Support (00:38:45) Finding Melissa and Future Plans (00:40:27) The post 328 – The Ultimate Exit Plan: An SLP Who Left Her Facility to Start a Global Virtual Voice Clinic with Melissa Grassia Chisholm appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

You can be a Med SLP outside the walls of the hospital. You can ALSO build your own schedule, set your own rates, and see who you WANT to see outside the walls of the hospital. How? Through private practice! Private practice isn’t *just* for pediatric therapists. In fact, there could be an argument that there’s an increasing DEMAND for medical SLP private practices. But what does that look like? How do you get started? Is it realistic for you? Get ready to dive into the world of private practice with Jena Castro-Casbon, a private practice coach and founder of Independent Clinician. She shares her journey and expertise in empowering SLPs to establish and expand successful private practices focused on THEIR zone of genius. Ready to hear how you can leverage your Med SLP expertise outside the hospital? Tune in to this week’s discussion and hear what Jena has to say about it! The post 327 – What Can Private Practice Look Like for Med SLPS? with Jena Castro-Casbon appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Have you ever considered jumping into the business side of speech pathology? While business classes aren’t a part of the SLP curriculum, they SHOULD be. As for now, one of the best ways to learn more about the business practices behind speech-language pathology is to hear from those are are actually doing it! Ebony Green, M.S., CCC-SLP, is here to help! Ebony is a Bilingual SLP with experience in school, home health, and private clinic settings. Today she shares her journey from education to entrepreneurship and the valuable lessons she learned along the way that will encourage you to explore entrepreneurship and navigate the business aspects of the profession. Ready to uncover the business side of being an SLP? Tune in to this week’s discussion and hear what Ebony has to share about it! Download the show notes here: https://syppodcast.com/326 The post 326 – Jumping into Business: Tips, Strategies, Suggestions, and More with Ebony Green MS, CCC-SLP appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Face transplants. Nope, that’s not just something you see on Grey’s Anatomy. It’s a real procedure and SLPs can support pre-operative evaluations, postoperative rehabilitation, and lifelong happiness for those who undergo this process. And in this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast, you’ll get to hear from two SLPs who have direct experience with serving this population! Join Meg Lico and Kaitlin Hanley, both SLPs at NYU Langone Health in New York City, as they share the challenges, triumphs, and profound impact of their collaboration with a surgical team as they navigate the complexities of their roles when serving those who receive a transformative face transplant. Gain insight into the passion and dedication driving Meg and Kaitlin’s work with craniofacial and facial transplant populations as they advocate for increased awareness and education. Start challenging the traditional perceptions of speech-language pathology and celebrate the multifaceted expertise of these dedicated professionals. Ready to learn how SLPs played a MAJOR role in a groundbreaking face transplant? Tune in to this week’s discussion and hear what Meg and Kaitlin have to share about it! Get the show notes for this episode here: https://syppodcast.com/325 Timestamps: The introduction (00:00:12) Introducing the speakers (00:01:10) Preparation for the case (00:02:56) Post-surgery updates (00:04:49) Collaboration and patient progress (00:08:21) Preoperative assessment and strategies (00:09:38) Inpatient care and progress (00:12:17) Utilizing research and strategies (00:15:29) Passive Stretching Therapy (00:18:02) Collaboration Challenges (00:18:56) Critical Thinking and Collaboration (00:19:37) Interdisciplinary Collaboration (00:20:25) Expertise and Collaboration (00:23:33) Patient Journey and Preparation (00:25:45) Specialty Populations (00:31:43) The lack of awareness about speech pathology (00:35:02) Challenges in explaining the profession (00:35:44) The limited understanding of speech pathology (00:36:12) The profound impact of speech pathology (00:37:33) The post 325 – Reconstructing Hope with Meg Lico and Kaitlin Hanley appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Theresa is BACK this week with the recording of the fourth and FINAL day of the Effective SLP workshop! This is where four brilliant SLPs and Medical SLP Collective mentors came together to discuss all-things productivity and share their tips and tools to help medical SLPs do more ON the clock WITHOUT sacrificing their time OFF the clock. This week, you’ll hear Laura McWilliam’s discussion from night four of The Effective SLP workshop. She shares a helpful leadership and teamwork method she calls the PARTNER method. Laura outlines how SLPs can apply the components of the PARTNER method to gain a seat at the productivity table and contribute to leadership discussions about workplace productivity standards. Laura even provided the outline of the PARTNER method inside the free Productivity Playbook that came with this workshop, which you can access along with the entire workshop at medslpcollective.com/effectiveslp Tune into this week’s episode and get motivated to make some changes at work to help you accomplish more WITHOUT sacrificing more. Get the shownotes for this episode here: https://syppodcast.com/324 Timestamps: The Partner Method (00:01:14) Leadership and Teamwork (00:02:00) Rethinking Workflow (00:04:31) Comprehensive Care (00:08:27) Data-Driven Change (00:12:39) Addressing Staffing Challenges (00:15:21) Balancing Clinical and Non-Clinical Responsibilities (00:17:33) The Partner Method (00:18:44) Understanding Leadership (00:19:59) Planning and Communication (00:20:54) Asking for Partnership (00:21:51) Responding to Changes (00:22:48) Time Efficiency (00:23:51) Engaging with Team and Leadership (00:24:47) Engaging in Data (00:25:51) Continuous Quality Improvement (00:26:57) Challenges in Leadership (00:29:02) Navigating the Healthcare Climate (00:36:04) Leveraging Patient Safety Programs (00:36:28) Empowering Clinicians for Quality Improvement (00:37:36) Productivity and Data Analytics (00:39:23) Work-Life Balance and Career Growth (00:44:25) The post 324 – You Can Automate That: Productivity and Efficiency Power Moves for MedSLPs appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

In February, the MedSLP collective hosted a free four-day workshop to help medical SLPs accomplish more by doing less! This week, we’re sharing Day 3 of the workshop on the Swallow Your Pride Podcast! Who decided that burning out was a badge of honor? There’s a stigma across the board — that in order to succeed as an SLP, we have to push beyond our limit DAILY. Tune in today to catch Day 3 of the Effective SLP Workshop, where Kelly Caldwell, MA, MS, CCC-SLP, dives into real-world examples and applicable tools to help you work smarter, not harder. Dive into different working styles and learn how to cut your assessment documentation time in half with Kelly’s templates and calculators you can apply to your documentation! Interested in listening to the entire workshop? You can catch the entire workshop HERE: medslpcollective.com/effectiveslp Kelly's productivity tips (00:00:56) Questioning the status quo (00:02:04) Advocacy and productivity (00:05:00) EMR and documentation systems (00:07:58) Scheduling and administrative time (00:13:38) Productivity and documentation (00:16:40) Documentation and Standardized Tests (00:18:05) Use of Smart Phrases and Templates (00:19:18) Simplifying Documentation and Perspective Taking (00:20:57) Point of Service Documentation (00:22:42) Balancing Patient Attention and Documentation (00:23:29) Automating Documentation (00:26:38) Overcoming Documentation Challenges (00:29:33) Continuing Education and Documentation (00:32:08) Productivity Killers and Self-Care (00:35:04) Dealing with Personal Challenges (00:36:40) Documentation Timelines and Grace Periods (00:37:51) Understanding Payer Policies (00:38:53) Importance of Root Cause Analysis (00:41:18) Maximizing Workload Efficiency (00:43:00) Customizing Documentation Templates (00:46:06) Self-Care and Grace (00:49:15) Controlling Response to Chaos (00:51:10) Workshop Conclusion and Resources (00:53:15) The post 323 – Tips & Tools to Work Smarter, Not Harder appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Last month, the MedSLP Collective hosted a free four-day workshop to help medical SLPs accomplish more by doing less! This week, we’re going to share Day 2 of the workshop on the Swallow Your Pride podcast! Let’s face it, productivity can be a bit of a maze, with each facility and setting having its own unique calculations and expectations. But fear not, my friends, in today’s episode we’re breaking it all down. Tune in so you can hear Kristin Dolan, a seasoned speech pathologist with over two decades of experience under her belt, share her experiences and expertise. With a deep understanding of productivity from both the clinical and managerial perspectives, Kristin offers her wisdom on the inner workings of productivity in our field. Kristin and Theresa define the differences between productivity & efficiency, share 10 tips to improve your efficiency, and illustrate how you can map out your workdays with the help of a free productivity calculator. From deciphering productivity formulas to exploring strategies for efficiency and effectiveness, we’re on a mission to demystify the process and empower you to thrive in your role. Interested in listening to the entire workshop? You can catch the entire workshop HERE: medslpcollective.com/effectiveslp Timestamps: Understanding Productivity (00:00:00) Accessing Workshop Recordings (00:00:59) Highlighting Productivity Tips (00:02:15) Leadership and Teamwork Method (00:03:26) Discussion on Productivity (00:06:20) Understanding Productivity and Efficiency (00:09:32) Empowering Therapists (00:13:51) Value-Based Systems (00:19:51) Understanding Productivity Calculation (00:22:46) Efficiency in Patient Treatment (00:23:30) Adapting to Patient Needs (00:25:37) Challenging Productivity Expectations (00:29:21) Differentiating Managers and Leaders (00:31:43) Understanding RVUs in Productivity (00:34:22) Maximizing Efficiency with RVUs (00:38:35) Tools for Efficient Documentation (00:41:12) Balancing Efficiency and Quality in Documentation (00:43:35) The importance of taking time to review repetitive tasks (00:45:35) Improving department effectiveness (00:46:04) Utilizing downtime forms for concise documentation (00:47:27) Reducing decision fatigue and time management (00:49:39) Delegating tasks and setting priorities (00:50:02) Analyzing time usage and efficiency (00:54:48) Understanding productivity calculations and advocating for change (00:55:20) Managing non-billable but required activities (00:57:31) Efficiency tools and resources (01:00:07) MetaSLP Collective membership and support (01:03:14) The post 322 – Understanding & Calculating Productivity vs. Efficiency appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

You’ve heard “qualified” SLP…. You’ve heard “seasoned” SLP… But what does it mean to be an “effective” SLP, particularly in the medical space?The truth is: as a medical SLP, you have more power over your productivity than you think.Speech-language pathologist, clinical mentor, and rehabilitation program development specialist, Lysa Johnson, returns to the Swallow Your Pride podcast to join Theresa in discussing a word not too many medical SLPs enjoy: productivity.The pair define, dissect, and discuss what productivity means and how to better control it (instead of letting IT control YOU). So, let’s figure out what productivity means for you, your facility, and maybe even the future of speech pathology.Remember, defining productivity isn’t just about numbers; it’s about setting the stage for change. Whether it’s redefining productivity or just finding better ways to measure success, let’s do it together, one conversation at a time. Get the show notes for this episode her: https://syppodcast.com/320 Timestamps The definition of productivity (00:03:30) Challenges with productivity (00:04:23) The impact of productivity in different settings (00:05:59) Understanding pure productivity (00:08:48) Nuances of productivity (00:16:29) Defining billable and non-billable time (00:21:15) The importance of patient screens (00:23:07) Understanding productivity and reimbursement meetings (00:24:36) Ethical billing practices and productivity (00:26:04) The necessity of therapy screens (00:27:54) Non-billable but required tasks (00:32:01) Unethical practices and fraudulent services (00:34:04) Role of speech pathologists in skilled nursing facilities (00:40:56) Compliance with labor laws and ethical practices (00:43:11) Understanding the rules and regulations (00:46:36) Challenges in justifying non-billable time (00:50:12) The importance of starting somewhere (00:50:21) Ethical concerns and resources (00:51:27) Seeking support and resources (00:52:20) Interview questions and facility assessment (00:55:46) Advocating for change and future generations (00:56:54) New CPT codes for family and caregiver training (00:57:57) Membership and support for speech-language pathologists (01:00:59) Accommodations and onboarding for learning differences (01:07:31) Continuing education and resources (01:08:39) The post 321 – The Effective SLP: Productivity & Streamlining Success appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Wondering how to start a medical career with your SLP graduate degree? Get ready for an episode packed with wisdom and inspiration as Theresa sits down with Chanelle Tignor, M.S., CCC-SLP, discussing her journey from graduate school to her medical career. Theresa and Chanelle walk you through the importance of exploring different settings, diving into resources beyond the classroom (helllooo internet!), and remaining curious to learn from your patients and research. You’ll also get to hear about Chanelle’s future goals and how she aims to own her own practice and mentor the next generation of SLPs. Timestamps: Getting into Graduate School (00:02:26) Exploring Different Settings (00:01:16) Importance of Open-mindedness (00:07:15) Research and Observation (00:09:45) On-the-Job Learning (00:12:09) The networking journey (17:58) Importance of networking (19:08) Challenges in graduate school (24:42) Self-study and preceptorship (29:23) Passion for the profession (32:04) Finding Passion and Drive (00:34:10) Career Aspirations (00:35:29) Gap in Early Intervention (00:38:25) Standing Out in the Medical Field (00:40:49) Continuous Learning and Growth (00:46:50) The post 320 – Becoming A Medical SLP with Chanelle Tignor appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Adding, subtracting, dividing...we interact with math and numbers on a daily basis.It's more than just algebra skills. Even understanding which price is higher or lower than others is a part of our numeric duties. And SLPs have an important role in helping those with stroke or head injury improve their calculation skills.Which is why I'm SO excited to have Brett McCardel, PhD, SLP on today’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast!We’re diving deep into a topic that’s often overlooked in clinical discourse…Acalculia.In this episode, we discuss: The historical context of acalculia Acalculia’s context & classification Assessment tools & treatments for acalculia The complex nuances and implications for daily functioning with acalculia The intersection of neuroscience, clinical practice, & patient-centered care Tune in today! Get the show notes for this episode here! https://syppodcast.com/319 Timestamps: Aphasia Rehabilitation Approach (00:03:07) Neuroanatomy and Functional Mechanism (00:04:55) Introduction to Acalculia (00:06:42) Symptoms and Numerical Format (00:08:19) Interest in Acalculia (00:10:23) Impact on Quality of Life (00:11:44) Relationship Between Math and Language (00:14:56) History and Classification of Acalculia (00:19:12) The classifications of acalculia (00:23:20) The impact of acalculia on quality of life (00:26:01) Assessment objectives for acalculia (00:28:17) Patient experience with acalculia (00:29:23) Models for conceptualizing acalculia (00:27:03) Treatment approaches for acalculia (00:38:02) Conclusion and call to action (00:43:18) The post 319 – Moving From Words to Numbers: What SLPs Should Know About Acalculia appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Oral care has taken on a life of its own in the SLP world, and with good reason! We now know more than ever the importance of good oral hygiene and its impact on health - especially for people with dysphagia.But what can you actually do to move the needle in your facility so patient oral care is a higher priority? Particularly when it comes to preventing non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP).Dr. Erin McCarthy is here to talk all about that in this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast! Dr. McCarthy, with over 26 years of experience as an SLP specializing in swallowing disorders, shares her journey from working in acute inpatient settings to establishing her own private practice and spearheading initiatives to improve patient care outcomes. She opens up and shares her project on oral care, highlighting the alarming trend of inadequate oral hygiene among hospitalized patients and the subsequent development of NVHAP.Ready to learn about oral health initiatives and spark a healthy change in your facility?Tune in to this week’s discussion to hear what Dr. McCarthy has to say about it! Get the show notes for this episode here : https://syppodcast.com/318 The post 318 – The SLP’s Role in Oral Health Initiatives: Something to Flap Your Gums About appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Have you ever worked with a patient with swallowing difficulties post anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery? Or maybe you've noticed surgeons don't even acknowledge the implications ACDF surgery can have on swallowing….. Medical SLP and NYU doctoral student in the Swallow Research Lab, Brynn Jones-Restelli, opens up the conversation to this tricky population on this week's episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast!Brynn walks us through a general overview of ACDF surgery, its nutritional implications, what we can expect to see as "normal abnormalities" post-ACDF surgery, and how to optimize post-surgical outcomes. You'll also get to hear about her current research and how she aims to characterize changes in swallowing associated with spinal disease and following spinal surgery.Ready to learn the ABCs of ACDF surgery and dysphagia? Tune in to this week’s discussion and see what Brynn has to share about it! Get the show notes for this episode here : https://syppodcast.com/317 The post 317 – The ABCs of ACDF Surgery and Dysphagia appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Curious about how effective collaboration between dentists and SLPs will enhance advocacy and optimize patient care? Sara Davis and Sara Charney discuss their collaboration and the unique topic of speech pathology’s relationship with dentistry, in today’s episode. Sara Davis is a specialist in voice, swallowing, head and neck cancer, & airway disorders, and the founder of VoxFit. Working at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and living in Baltimore, Sara Charney specializes in voice and swallowing disorders, particularly pertaining to head and neck cancer. Sara & Sara guide the conversation through the birth of the idea of collaborating with dentists, the importance of collaborations, developing a collaborative model, research supporting collaboration, and advocacy & future plans. Join Theresa, Sara, & Sara as they navigate this uncharted territory, paving the way for a future where interdisciplinary collaboration is the norm, not the exception. Oh, and get ready to feel a surge of inspiration! Get the show notes for this episode here! https://syppodcast.com/316 The post 316. All Things Dentistry: Bridging the Gap Between SLPs and Dental Professionals appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Are you frustrated with dreading productivity expectations at your facility? Or maybe you are fed up with feeling like you are constantly battling the clock…. This episode encourages you to reclaim productivity in your favor and your patients! In this episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast, have a conversation with Theresa Richard MA CCC-SLP, BCS-S and her fellow colleague, Lysa Johnson, who is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Clinical Mentor, and Rehabilitation Program Development Specialist. Lysa explains her personal experience with new documentation for caregiver training and Medicare changes, and Theresa advocates for self-education and effective communication, as crucial steps to overcoming productivity challenges. This episode is inspirational for providers and patients, alike! Listen, learn, and let’s revolutionize the way we view and handle productivity in speech-language pathology together. Don’t miss out on the FREE virtual workshop, starting February 19, with specialized training continuing the conversation of improving your productivity, as a MedSLP! Message “PRODUCTIVITY” to Theresa’s Instagram or visit the MedSLP Collective website to learn more and register. https://syppodcast.com/315 The post 315 – Transforming Productivity: From Dreaded to Advantageous appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Productivity is one of those words that can leave a bad taste in your mouth, but why is that? In most cases, as medical SLPs, it’s because we don’t have much control over how productivity works. Or do we? Laura McWilliams M.S. CCC-SLP, BCS-S is back on the Swallow Your Pride Podcast to guide you on how to redefine productivity and efficiency at your job. She’ll walk you through maximizing resources, advocating for productivity improvements, embracing (and creating) automation, and adding value to healthcare institutions through interprofessional collaboration. Ready to change the productivity game? Tune in! P.S. Laura will be joining us during my free four-day workshop, which I’m calling The Effective MedSLP: Productivity Updates and Streamlining Success. You can check it out at https://info.medslpcollective.com/the-effective-slp-workshop/ (and download your free Productivity Playbook!) Get the show notes to this episode at: https://syppodcast.com/314 Timestamps: Attaching Healthcare Quality Indicators (00:00:00) Redefining Productivity as Efficiency (00:02:01) Efficiency in Speech Pathology (00:04:21) Maximizing Services and Resources (00:08:04) Change Management and Communication (00:11:01) Adding Value to Healthcare Institutions (00:17:00) Interprofessional Collaboration (00:22:55) Automating decision making (00:24:03) Aligning with facility goals (00:25:15) Speech therapists as project managers (00:26:03) Addressing resistance and inconsistent practice (00:28:14) Efficiency in documentation and tools (00:30:52) Understanding productivity metrics (00:34:42) Differentiating between managers and leaders (00:38:14) Embracing visionaries and integrators (00:40:19) Marketing speech pathology services (00:43:44) Utilizing IT for data tracking (00:45:40) Therapy Hamster Wheel (00:47:02) Rising to Accreditation (00:47:23) Depth of Productivity (00:48:11) The post 314 – You Can Automate That: Productivity and Efficiency Power Moves for MedSLPs appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

From educating restaurant staff to bringing recipes to support groups, it’s important to humanize dysphagia care. And when it comes to fostering that approach with the head and neck cancer population, Theresa Yao, SLPD, MEd, MS, CCC-SLP will be the first to speak up! Tune into this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast podcast to explore a holistic approach to managing dysphagia. Going beyond the bedside, Theresa shares the importance of considering personal factors, environment, and social participation alongside the swallowing impairment itself. What does it mean to create a dysphagia-friendly community? How can you advocate for it? What extra steps can you take to help your patients with head and neck cancer - or dysphagia in general - feel more empowered? Grab your notepad and prepare to get inspired. You won’t want to miss this! Get the show notes for this episode here: https://syppodcast.com/313 Timestamps: Theresa Yao's background (00:01:21) The journey to voice and swallowing disorders (00:02:05) The importance of a whole-person approach (00:05:51) The whole person approach to dysphagia (00:06:51) Viewing patients as whole persons (00:08:51) The impact of dysphagia on social interactions (00:10:13) Involving patients in treatment planning (00:12:14) Creating dysphagia-friendly environments (00:15:58) The role of support groups in dysphagia management (00:17:55) The support group and patient empowerment (00:18:44) Support group advocacy and volunteer efforts (00:20:50) Community outreach and resources (00:21:57) Benefits of support groups for clinicians (00:25:14) Community engagement and awareness (00:27:06) Multidisciplinary team approach (00:28:28) Patient-reported outcome measures and quality of life assessment (00:30:44) Whole person approach and qualitative research (00:33:29) The post 313 – The Human Behind the Dysphagia: A Holistic Approach for Head and Neck Cancer Patients appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Have you ever wondered how much you can actually do as an SLP when it comes to dementia care? One of the most common misconceptions about dementia care in general is that not much can be done. It’s a progressive disease after all, right? This is where medical SLPs can shine, and Adria Thompson, MA, CCC-SLP is here to talk about it! Adria is a dementia consultant who teamed up with an OT to create a dementia program and traveled around to different facilities to teach this program. In this week’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast, Theresa and Adria explore the importance of understanding dementia stages and supporting caregivers. They address misconceptions about therapy for patients with dementia and cover recent changes in billing that allow for caregiver training without the patient present, including the potential for caregivers to receive financial support for their services. If you support individuals with dementia and their caregivers in any capacity, you won’t want to miss this episode! Get the show notes at: https://syppodcast.com/312 Timestamps: The need for better dementia care (00:02:36) The role of speech therapists in dementia care (00:07:01) Understanding dementia staging (00:10:10) Caregiver support and collaboration (00:14:27) Challenges of caregiver role (00:19:01) Therapist-patient communication (00:19:22) Billing for caregiver time (00:21:25) Caregiver payment and reimbursement (00:23:09) Medicare and Medicaid services program (00:24:54) Support for caregivers (00:25:18) Speech-language pathologists in hygiene ADLs (00:27:19) Communication issues in hygiene ADLs (00:29:06) Training and competence for SLPs (00:32:07) Communication intervention in hygiene ADLs (00:33:49) Challenges and learning experiences (00:36:27) Role of SLPs in caregiving (00:37:09) Therapist Collaboration (00:37:22) Collaborative Care (00:40:20) Specialization Communication (00:42:26) Encouraging Learning (00:44:07) The post 312 – Navigating Dementia Care as an SLP: Tips and Insights from a Dementia Consultant appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

“Wherever you're working, whatever setting you're working in, whatever profession you are, if you're working with humans, you should be trauma-informed.” Rachel Archambault, MA, CCC-SLP dropped ALL the mics within the first three minutes of our discussion in today’s episode of the Swallow Your Pride Podcast! Trauma-informed care, empathy, and just the human touch are all crucial in our profession, but there’s an obvious tension between meeting productivity standards and providing this level of care. It’s palpable. Does our current productivity model harm the quality of care we can provide? What does trauma-informed care look like, and what can we actually do to make it work without stressing over time-based codes and RVUs? Tune in to this week’s discussion and see what Rachel has to say about it and join her call to action! Get the show notes: https://syppodcast.com/311 Timestamps: Introduction (00:00:02) Discovering Trauma-Informed Care (00:01:33) Challenges in Implementing Trauma-Informed Care (00:04:23) Advocating for Change (00:06:01) Impact of Trauma-Informed Care (00:09:14) Six Pillars of Trauma-Informed Care (00:13:35) Looking at the conversation through a trauma-informed lens (00:14:15) Trust and transparency in provider relationships (00:15:23) Fostering trust and transparency with clients (00:16:58) Peer support, collaboration, and mutuality (00:17:26) Empowerment, voice, and choice in therapy (00:20:21) Consideration of cultural, historical, and gender issues (00:23:09) Personal experiences with trauma-informed care (00:24:50) Trauma-informed care (00:28:03) Cultural and religious considerations (00:29:33) Resources for trauma-informed care (00:31:38) Training and implementation (00:34:14) Connect with Rachel (00:35:38) The post 311 – Compassion Over Metrics: Prioritizing Trauma-Informed Care as Medical SLPs appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever received orders to see a patient with head and neck cancer AFTER they’ve started (or completed) radiation and/or surgery. A million times yes. It’s one of those common cases where speech-language pathology is an afterthought. But in reality, we should be brought into the discussion before any treatment begins! Katie Moore is all too familiar with this, which is why she passionately advocated for a head and neck cancer program in her department AND for specialized training to address complex impairments (like post-radiation fibrosis and lymphedema.) Tune in to this week’s episode of The Swallow Your Pride Podcast to hear how Katie implemented a new program and rallied for support for SLPs to achieve the level of training they deserve. Oh, and get ready to feel a surge of inspiration! Download the show notes at: https://syppodcast.com/310 Timestamps: Challenges in Healthcare Administration (00:02:01) Implementing Speech Therapy Services (00:03:21) Advocating for Inclusion (00:05:32) Self-Initiative and Research (00:08:06) Building Trust and Collaboration (00:11:42) Continuing Education and Funding (00:13:24) Advocating for Specific Training (00:14:51) Navigating Financial Approvals (00:16:16) Understanding Business Administration (00:17:29) Calculating Results for Proposals (00:22:34) Patience and Career Trajectory (00:26:37) Foundation Funding and Program Development (00:28:34) Financial Assistance for Patients (00:29:17) Learning from Interdisciplinary Conversations (00:30:27) Challenges in Patient Care (00:31:23) Team Collaboration in Patient Care (00:32:40) Unforeseen Surgical Procedure (00:34:11) Overcoming Challenges in Patient Care (00:35:48) Culmination of Professional Journey (00:40:04) Final Thoughts on Professional Growth (00:40:37) The post 310 – No Longer the Afterthought: Developing a HNC program and funding for specialized training appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.