So a patient walks into a fluoroscopy suite, points to their throat, and says “I have trouble swallowing.”
You do the VFSS, and their oropharynx looks…okay! Maybe even within normal limits!
Now what?
*The esophagus has entered the chat*
In this podcast episode, Theresa Richard interviews Stephanie Watts, PhD, CCC/SLP, a speech-language pathologist, researcher, and clinician scientist at the University of South Florida known for her work with esophageal dysphagia.
Tune into this episode to learn about…
- The importance of evidence-based practice and supporting patients
- Dr. Watts' passion for esophageal dysphagia and her research in the field
- Development of a three-hour protocol for assessing esophageal dysphagia
- Importance of considering the whole swallowing process in evaluations
- Modified barium swallow as a screening tool for swallowing problems
- Next steps if a patient fails the screening
- Importance of multidisciplinary teams in the hospital setting
- Need for esophageal dysphagia education in academic systems
- Importance of standardized protocols and clear reporting in fluoroscopy studies for swallowing evaluations
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Timestamps:
The passion for esophageal dysphagia [00:02:19]
The development of the REST protocol [00:03:30]
Future research and expansion of the REST protocol [00:06:06]
The nature of modified barium swallow [00:10:17]
Screening protocol and next steps [00:11:23]
Importance of multidisciplinary team [00:13:58]
The implementation of esophageal dysphagia education [00:19:58]
The prevalence of esophageal dysphagia and the need for further investigation [00:20:59]
The importance of counseling and referrals in dysphagia management [00:23:06]
The Art and Science of Fluoroscopy [00:29:04]
Standardized Protocol for Reporting Results [00:30:18]
Describing Aberrant Movement and Reporting Failed Screening [00:31:19]
