Introduction
A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is a specialist who is often referred to as a speech pathologist or a speech therapist. In most cases, these experts are highly educated professionals who have a master’s degree in their fields of specialization (Blackstone, Beukelman & Yorkston, 2015). Therefore, an SLP is more advantageous as they have studied various aspects of healthcare, including psychology, anatomy, and physiology, that enables them to handle patients properly.
Thus, a speech pathologist is a person who has extensive knowledge for providing speech therapy services, which are necessary for treating common speech disorders, sound production, and other voice-related defects. This report shall, therefore, explain the importance of speech-language pathologists in an in-patient rehabilitation hospital.
Speech-Language Pathologists Work Setting
Speech-Language Pathologists can work in various settings, including in-patient rehabilitation hospitals. It is essential to understand that rehabilitation follows after the patient has recovered from an accident or an incident and hence can be moved from the intensive care unit to the in-patient rehabilitation environment. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the average length of stay in an in-patient rehabilitation hospital is twenty days.
Nevertheless, the treatment may be extended from several months to a year. The services of a Speech-Language Pathologist are necessary because the hospital should offer intensive rehabilitation therapy for patients who are recovering from surgery, acute injuries, or disorders. The most common cases, which will be experienced in an in-patient rehabilitation hospital, are incidences of brain injury, strokes, or other chronic illnesses that affect the vocal or pharyngeal tract.
Conferring to the National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS) data retrieved from ASHA, the top five medical diagnoses for in-patient rehabilitation patients include the central nervous system, injury, breathing illnesses, cerebrovascular accidents, and head injury. In addition, the majority of patients in in-patient rehabilitation hospitals are elderly people. The range of in-patient rehabilitation patients includes 30 to 49 years – 12 percent, 50-59 years – 13 percent, 60-69 years –19 percent, 70-79 years – 28 percent, while 80 years and above is 23 percent.
In such a setting, a Speech-Language Pathologist works collaboratively with other multidisciplinary teams in the in-patient rehabilitation hospitals (Wertheimer et al., 2008). These teams comprise nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, social staff, and physical therapists. Speech-Language Pathologist, therefore, plays a crucial role in such a healthcare setting.
Scope of Practice
With regards to the scope of practice, Speech-Language Pathologists use an in-patient healthcare rehabilitation facility and work in collaboration with other doctors, including Neuropsychologists and Audiologists, to treat patients of all ages, from the young to the elderly (Wertheimer et al., 2008). Keeping this in mind, it can be stated that the role of a Speech-Language Pathologist encompasses a broader range of responsibilities, and they can do various tasks on a daily basis (Blackstone et al., 2015). Some of the tasks that Speech-Language Pathologists can perform in a hospital include: first, assisting patients who suffer from aphasia to communicate properly.
Second, they can diagnose and treat language, cognitive, communication, swallowing, and speech disorders. Third, Speech-Language Pathologists can evaluate a patient’s ability to swallow and recommend appropriate meals for such a patient. Fourth, they can train family members and other caregivers.
Therefore, Speech-Language Pathologists have the ability to assess, diagnose, and offer treatment to patients in all in-patient rehabilitation hospitals. In the medical environment, Speech-Language Pathologists, just like all other medical practitioners, have a clear understanding of the necessary medical procedures and conditions that may affect patients. Similarly, a Speech-Language Pathologist understands the psychosocial and ethical domains of patient decision-making, coupled with sophisticated and storing clinical expertise. In an in-patient rehabilitation hospital, Speech-Language Pathologists are qualified to assist the elderly to communicate and express their needs in various means.
Speech-Language Pathologists and Vision 2030
To understand the importance of Speech-Language Pathologists in in-patient rehabilitation hospitals, a reference will be made to the vision 2030. In Saudi Arabia, by supporting vision 2030, the role of Speech-Language Pathologists is essential in assisting the elderly to live a long and healthy life. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is firmly supporting the initiative of the World Health Organization concerning the health of the elderly, and promoting additional years (not days) to life. The Ministry of Health is developing a strategic plan under the umbrella of the World Health Organization.
The services provided by Speech-Language Pathologists are essential in any healthcare setting. Their services are categorized into two forms – therapeutic or diagnostic. The key areas where Speech-Language Pathologist services are applicable include: first, in speech, which incorporates resonance, fluency, and articulation (Blackstone et al., 2015). The second area is memory or solving a problem regarding various forms of communication. The third one is language processing, and this focuses on oral presentation, written or visual documents, syntax, phonology, and many others. The fourth area is in aero-digestive functions and aero-mechanical processes, including swallowing. Finally, it is applied in voice therapy in healthcare setups.
In the case of an in-patient rehabilitation hospital, the added value of a Speech-Language Pathologists would be seen in the following ways:
Cognitive Impairment and Speech-Language Pathologist
A Speech-Language Pathologist can help patients diagnosed with Alzheimer within the healthcare facility. Thus, in every stage of the illness, patients can benefit from the intervention. Therefore, a Speech-Language Pathologist can help elderly people suffering from Dementia by offering support through non-verbal communication techniques. In the same way, the Speech-Language Pathologist may help the elderly patients with the development and application of “compensatory techniques” that will assist the patients and caregivers in maximizing the quality of life and unconventionality within the limitations of the patient’s current capabilities. Hence, patients with cognitive disorders in the in-patient rehabilitation hospital will benefit greatly from the services of a Speech-Language Pathologist.
Dysphagia Treatment and Speech Therapy
Some individuals with speech disorders may be affected by a swallowing disorder referred to as dysphagia. Dysphagia disorder may be caused by stroke neurological illnesses, brain injury, or multiple sclerosis (Steele et al., 2007). Since these patients are common in in-patient rehabilitation hospitals, then the need for Speech-Language Pathologists arises (Hardin & Kelly, 2019). The Speech-Language Pathologists will incorporate the use and application of various methods and exercises to enhance the oral intake process of the patients. The techniques developed by Speech-Language Pathologists enhance the control one has over their swallowing capabilities.
A number of these techniques include biting techniques, head positioning techniques, food modifications, and swallowing exercises (Steele et al., 2007). These techniques will help resolve the problem of dysphagia.
Financial Benefit
The supply of Speech-Language Pathologists is low, while the demand is extremely high in healthcare. By employing a Speech-Language Pathologist, the in-patient rehabilitation hospital will be among the few hospitals which offer such a service. Therefore, many patients who require the services of a Speech-Language Pathologist will be referred to the institution. This will lead to increased revenue for the hospital due to the increased number of patients willing to pay an additional fee for Speech-Language Pathologist services.
Assist Recovering Patients to Develop a More Comprehensible Accent
Since patients in in-patient rehabilitation hospitals come from different ethnicities, the issue of accents can act as a barrier to communications between healthcare providers and the patient (Hardin & Kelly, 2019). In most cases, this may result in inadequate provision of care. If the healthcare facility has Speech-Language Pathologists, then they will be able to assist patients in communicating using a better accent, and this will improve the overall quality of care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, with the reasons stated above, it is evident that Speech-Language Pathologists are a necessary input to the healthcare environment. Many people do not understand the role of Speech-Language Pathologists, which makes them consider the position as a liability. Still, in the real sense, it is very beneficial for in-patient rehabilitation hospitals to have Speech-Language Pathologists. According to the American Stroke Association, the recovery process for those who suffer from stroke is hard and long and can take up to two years. In many cases, numerous hospitals lack the services of Speech-Language Pathologists, and this makes the patient recovery process difficult and challenging.
Thus, the population that Speech-Language Pathologists work with in in-patient rehabilitation hospitals is similar to the population found in the acute care environment. In most cases, these patients are elderly men and women who are above 60 years of age. Hence, Speech-Language Pathologists are crucial for the meaningful recovery and survival of the patients who are affected by a stroke. A patient who survives a stroke usually has a 75v percent chance to live for at least another year. For elderly patients, they can be severely affected and may encounter swallowing problems, which leads to death by choking or aspiration pneumonia.
These two issues can be appropriately corrected if the in-patient rehabilitation hospital has the services of Speech-Language Pathologists. It is also essential to understand that a stroke is the main reason why most patients enter rehabilitation. However, patients who are victims of chronic illnesses, traumatic accidents that affect the throat and mouth, or patients with neurological deficiencies may find themselves in rehabilitation at some point in their illness.
Speech-Language Pathologists also find themselves being required to assist in patient treatment for areas where they have not been traditionally involved. For instance, their services may be required in a burn case, or any other form of damage that requires long-term care to re-learn appropriate techniques of speaking or swallowing food. In this case, the role of Speech-Language Pathologists is seen to be all-round, and this is because they can work well in any department within the rehabilitation hospital. This will also be an added advantage as the hospital will be able to benefit from the wide-ranging skills Speech-Language Pathologists possess and use them for better service provision in their facilities.
As a final point, in ensuring continuity of care even when the patient is discharged, Speech-Language Pathologists may develop self-treatment or home-based therapies that the patients and the caregivers may use to ensure that they recover fast. Since rehabilitation is a long and continuous process, and then the services of highly trained Speech-Language Pathologists are required to provide care to patients.
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2003). Evaluating and treating communication and cognitive disorders: Approaches to referral and collaboration for speech-language pathology and clinical neuropsychology. Web.
Blackstone, S. W., Beukelman, D. R., & Yorkston, K. M. (2015). Patient-provider communication: Roles for speech-language pathologists and other health care professionals. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.
Hardin, K. Y., & Kelly, J. P. (2019). The role of speech-language pathology in an interdisciplinary care model for persistent symptomatology of mild traumatic brain injury. Seminars in Speech and Language, 40(1), 65-78. Web.
Steele, C., Allen, C., Barker, J., Buen, P., French, R., Fedorak, A.,… & McNeil, S. (2007). Dysphagia service delivery by speech-language pathologists in Canada: Results of a national survey. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 31(4), 166-177.
Wertheimer, J. C., Roebuck-Spencer, T. M., Constantinidou, F., Turkstra, L., Pavol, M., & Paul, D. (2008). Collaboration between neuropsychologists and speech-language pathologists in rehabilitation settings. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 23(5), 273-285. Web.