Multimodal Speech Pathology for Head and Neck patients

Specialist multimodal Speech Pathology service for Head and Neck oncology patients with an altered airway: 

SMICS Funding Program Initiative

Health Service: Monash Health

Gaps in the skilled workforce in regional areas and challenges with skill maintenance in areas of low service frequency limit patient access to best practice altered airway management. This results in inequity of access to services for regional consumers who are required to travel to Melbourne to access specialist clinical care.

The establishment of a community based management service further aims to deliver expedited discharges through the delivery of structured post-acute outpatient care and capacity to provide telehealth education telehealth education to family or other support persons to assist in achieving a safe and supported home discharge.

The use of telehealth as a primary model of care allow clinicians to offer practical management in a client’s home environment. Video calls enable clinicians to see and assess the health of a clients altered airway as well as make functional recommendations regarding the home environment to optimise respiratory heath and minimise risk.

Telehealth technologies allow for a multimodal communication including chat functions for clients without functional voice in setting of surgical management.

For further information, please email smics.quality@monashhealth.org.au