2013 Fall Voice Conference
October 17-19, 2013
Loews Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, GA

Pre-Conference for Speech Pathologists

Thursday, October 17th - The Loews Atlanta Hotel

Healthcare Reform: Opportunities for Innovative Service Delivery of Voice Therapy

Program Description
Despite the progressive expansion of speech-language pathologist’s knowledge base in voice, little growth has occurred in the development of alternative service delivery models. Healthcare reform mandates the delivery of time efficient therapy with functional outcomes and patient satisfaction measurements. This paradigm shift will require speech language pathologist to explore shorter therapy episodes, distance therapy, and improved adherence resulting in improved outcome from therapy. Telehealth offers an opportunity to meet the needs of patients with less intrusion on their lives and comparable therapeutic outcomes.

This workshop will highlight a number of professional issues to be considered in using tele-health in your practice such as training SLPs to use various web-based programs and mobile health apps, options for therapy materials, appropriate referrals for tele-health, licensure portability, connectivity issues, and HIPPA security compliance. Finally, a treatment satisfaction pilot study for use in therapy meeting new documentation requirements will be presented.

Learning Objectives
As a result of this workshop, the attendee will:
  1. Understand options for implementing tele-health into their practice
  2. Be educated about the current reimbursement, licensure and security compliance issues related to tele-health
  3. Be introduced to the latest mobile-health apps
  4. Know which patients are appropriate referrals for tele-health
Pre-Conference Speakers

Lisa Kelchner, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-S
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Dee Adams Nikjeh, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow
Voice Specialist, West Coast Ear, Nose and Throat Associates
Associate of Fearon & Levine, Rehab Compliance Consulting Firm
Co-Chair of ASHA's Health Care Economics Committee

Michael Towey, M.A., CCC-SLP
Course Director, Instructor and Training Mentor
Speech Language Pathology
Voice and Swallowing Center of Maine

Eva van Leer, Ph.D., MFA CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology
Co-Director, Professional Voice Clinic
University of Cincinnati Dept of Otolaryngolog

Aaron Ziegler, MA, CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
John A. Burns School of Medicine
University of Hawaii at Manoa



Pre-Conference Agenda
8:00 -  8:45 Coffee and Registration
8:45 -  9:00 Welcome
9:00 -  11:00 ET Phone Home: Tele-Health and Voice Therapy: Michael Towey, M.A., CCC-SLP
11:00 -  11:15 Break
11:15 -  12:15 Gizmos and Gadgets: Mobile Health for Voice Therapy: Eva van Leer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
12:15 -  1:15 Lunch
1:15 -  1:45 What do our patients really think about Voice Therapy?: Aaron Ziegler, MA, CCC-SLP
1:45 -  2:45 Please Pay Me, Sir: Dee Adams Nikjeh, Ph.D, CCC-SLP
2:45 -  3:00 Break
3:00 -  4:00 Proof is in pudding: Research in Tele-Health: Lisa N. Kelchner, PhD, CCC, BRS-S
4:00 -  4:45 Open mic Q/A with the Panel
4:45 -  5:00 CEU and wrap up