ASHA-Endorsed Telehealth Legislation Introduced in House, Senate
Members of Congress introduced new legislation on Wednesday that could expand the ability of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and other health care professionals to provide telehealth services.
The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (H.R. 4932/S. 2741) could lead to elimination of Medicare restrictions on the types of providers who can be reimbursed for telehealth services under certain conditions. The bill, which was introduced by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Schweikert (R-AZ)...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - November 1, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Jerry White Tags: Advocacy Audiology Health Care Slider Speech-Language Pathology Telepractice Source Type: blogs
Help Parents of Children With Feeding Disorders Prepare for Holiday Gatherings
Aww … home for the holidays. Gatherings with family can create cherished memories. However, parents of children with feeding and swallowing disorders can find navigating holiday meals particularly difficult.
As feeding and swallowing specialists, we speech-language pathologists can do much to serve our clients by offering tips to reduce food-related holiday stress.
Parents often go on high alert when managing their child’s feeding and swallowing difficulties outside the home. In preparing to travel, they might pack suitcases full of g-tube supplies or specific foods to help make sure their child consumes enough calorie...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 30, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Jennifer WIlson Tags: Health Care Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology Dysphagia Early Intervention Feeding Disorders Swallowing Disorders Source Type: blogs
4 Simple Stress-Reduction Strategies for Students and New Clinicians
As the end of the semester and holidays approach, we all start to feel overwhelmed. Students feel the pressure of assignments, placements, paperwork, and the forever-looming PRAXIS exams. Practicing audiologists and speech-language pathologists—along with my clinical fellow peers—must prepare clients, patients, or student for the holidays. Whatever your setting, you’re probably cramming for exams, helping your students prepare for exams, or working to ensure that speech and social skills, hearing assistive devices, and eating issues are ready for large family gatherings.
This time of year—and any time of year—we ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 28, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Lisa Marie Serrone Tags: Academia & Research Audiology Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Source Type: blogs
ASHA Voices: Lessons Learned From Stuttering Struggles and Beatboxing Sounds
On this episode of ASHA Voices, soon-to-be 2019 Annie Glen Award winner Taro Alexander shares what it’s like to grow up with a stutter and how that experience led him to start a nonprofit. Later in the program, you’ll hear from two researchers about their work with MRIs of beatboxers. They’ll tell us what this unusual look at the vocal tract in action could teach us about speech.
We’re less than one month from the ASHA Convention, where Alexander will officially receive the Annie Award for his work starting the nonprofit the Stuttering Association for the Young, or SAY. On this episode, Alexander t...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 24, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: J.D. Gray Tags: Events Podcast Slider Speech-Language Pathology ASHA Convention Speech Disorders Source Type: blogs
8 Steps to Self-Publish Your First Children ’s Book
Many speech-language pathologists dream of writing children’s books—or even novels. Maybe you want to target a specific skill, share a great story—or both. I say, go for it!
What gives SLPs an edge in creative writing? It is our education in linguistics, grammar, speech, and all facets of language. Add to this our experiences and understanding of a variety of people and the results are a bubbling cauldron of creative juices to churn out the prose. The advent of desktop publishing software along with print-on-demand services makes self-publishing easier and cost effective.
What do you want to write? Will your first bo...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 23, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Lavelle Carlson Tags: Academia & Research Health Care Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: blogs
Everyday Ethics: Can I Post Parents ’ Testimonials on My Practice Website?
In this new blog series, “Everyday Ethics,” Donna Euben, ASHA’s director of ethics, answers member questions about their ethical quandaries pertaining to ASHA’s Code of Ethics. Please email your questions to deuben@asha.org.
I am an audiologist in private practice. If I use a client’s parents’ initials, I can post the parent testimonials, which I revised a bit, on my business website and social media accounts, right?
Social media can be an effective way to promote your services to the general public. However, just as with print media, we must be careful in meeting our ethical obligations when usin...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 21, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Donna Euben Tags: Audiology Slider Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: blogs
ASHA, Other Groups Champion Audiology Services Legislation at Congressional Briefing
Representatives from ASHA, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) are briefing Congress today to promote legislation that will help audiologists better diagnose, treat, and prevent hearing loss and balance disorders for Medicare beneficiaries.
Under current law, Medicare allows beneficiaries to visit an audiologist only with a physician order, and covers only audiology diagnostic services—not follow-up treatment or a plan of care. The legislation, H.R. 4056/S. 2446, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act, can improve outcomes for beneficiaries by allowing direct a...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 18, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Carol Polovoy Tags: Advocacy Audiology Slider Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
ASHA Voices Update: Troubling PDPM Effects
In this short, special-edition episode, we’re bringing you the stories of speech-language pathologists who experienced unexpected, negative effects on their job situations, pay, and patient treatment when the Patient Driven Payment Model, or PDPM, went into effect Oct 1.
Read full transcript on ASHA Voices Update: Troubling PDPM Effects.
While the previous Medicare payment model in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) reimbursed for minutes of service delivered, PDPM reimburses for services based on patient characteristics. This is meant to discourage facilities from providing more therapy than medically necessary.
A ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 17, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: J.D. Gray Tags: Health Care Podcast Slider Speech-Language Pathology Cognitive Rehabilitation Dysphagia medicare PDPM skilled nursing facilities Source Type: blogs
Try New ASHA Tools to Simplify Using Evidence-based Practice
When was the last time you thought about evidence-based practice, or EBP? No, not just about research studies or whether a new treatment is “evidence-based,” but all components of EBP: clinical knowledge, patient perspectives, and, of course, the research evidence.
The concept of balancing these components might seem straightforward, but applying it to everyday practice can be challenging, especially with everything else you’re doing.
ASHA seeks to ease the process by providing updated EBP resources with guidance that turns the theoretical into practical.
This new material directs you through all the steps of EBP:
F...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 16, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Cheryl Swit Tags: Academia & Research Audiology Slider Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: blogs
How to be an Eco-Friendly Clinician
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists are used to making a difference. We help our patients, clients, students, and families achieve their communication and hearing goals, and we know our work results in positive, lasting effects on their lives.
Given the growing concern over climate change, single-use plastics, water shortages, and other environmental problems, many of us also want to make a difference for the planet. Maybe you recycle at home or you donate to environmental causes. But have you thought about sustainability where you work? A healthy environment is good for us and also for our patients. Did you know...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 15, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Sarah Breeze Tags: Academia & Research Audiology Health Care Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: blogs
Psychology Around the Net: October 12, 2019
This week’s Psychology Around the Net takes an interesting look at how our shadow selves affect relationships, why death anxiety is keeping men awake, strategies to help boost focus and motivation, and more.
New Psychology Research Has Linked Death Anxiety to Bedtime Procrastination: A new study published in The Journal of General Psychology suggests “death anxiety” is a predictor of bedtime procrastination in males. After surveying 229 Turkish participants about their attitudes about death, sleeping behaviors, and self-control, researchers found that men who are bothered by their own mortality are more ...
Source: World of Psychology - October 12, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Alicia Sparks Tags: Psychology Around the Net Adhd Brain Scans Children death death anxiety Focus Language Skills Mortality Motivation Relationships shadow self Sleep Spiritual Health Suicidal Behavior Suicide Risk Source Type: blogs
ASHA Voices: Become Your School ’ s Speech-Language Leader
On this episode of ASHA Voices, we’re looking at how—given their large caseloads—school-based speech-language pathologists can work smarter not harder to maximize their services.
We’ll consider the role of creativity in service delivery and how SLPs can advocate for themselves with Kim Murza, an associate professor at the University of Northern Colorado and former school SLP.
Murza shares ways SLPs can completely reimagine service-delivery by harnessing the power of their school treatment team: “I went to grad school, like all the other SLPs, to be a therapist and to work with kids. And some of these new rol...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 10, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: J.D. Gray Tags: Podcast Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Technology Source Type: blogs
Have You Considered Serving as an Audiologist or SLP in Uniform?
Have you heard of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS)? It’s one of the United States’ seven uniformed services and has existed for more than 200 years. During those two centuries, an elite team of 6,500 men and women in health care professions served to protect our nation’s public health.
Often called a “best kept secret,” the USPHS Commissioned Corps offers audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) a way to serve in uniform while protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of the nation.
As a member of the USPHS, I’ve been an SLP in uniform for a ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 9, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Courtney Wood Tags: Audiology Health Care Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Schools Source Type: blogs
Postdoctoral Fellow -- The NEURAL (NEURoscience of Adult Language) Research Lab at Indiana University Bloomington
The NEURAL (NEURoscience of Adult Language) Research Lab at Indiana University Bloomington is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to begin in spring or summer 2020, working with Dr. Brielle Stark. The position is open for an initial 1-year, with an option to renew dependent on performance and funding.Research in the lab focuses on understanding brain-behavior relationships in neurogenic communication disorders, largely post-stroke aphasia. We are most interested in understanding processes related to language production. We have a Siemens Prisma 3T MRI scanner and an EEG suite as part of our Imaging Research Facility, which ...
Source: Talking Brains - October 7, 2019 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Greg Hickok Source Type: blogs
SLPs in SNFs Share Stories of PDPM-Related Layoffs, Treatment and Pay Cuts
Last Saturday, speech-language pathologist Summer Branch went to work as usual at the two skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) she traversed. Both West Texas facilities contract with a larger rehabilitation company, and Branch was surprised to get a call from the company’s regional manager when she clocked out of work that day.
The manager told her that, as of that minute, the job she’d had for four years was terminated due to staffing changes. “I just didn’t see it coming,” Branch says.
Suddenly, she no longer had health insurance. But, if she wanted, she could opt for pro re nata (PRN) employment, in which the com...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - October 7, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Bridget Murray Law Tags: Health Care Slider Speech-Language Pathology Cognitive Rehabilitation medicare patient-driven payment model rehabilitation companies skilled nursing facilities SNFs Swallowing Disorders Source Type: blogs
