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Teleswallowing: managing dysphagia

By Veronica Southern, Teleswallowing Added 24th Jun, 2016 Updated 23rd Jul, 2019

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Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) may precipitate aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, poor rehabilitation, hospital admittance, increased hospital stay and reduced quality of life.

Dysphagia, prevalent among the elderly, particularly following a stroke and in end stage dementia, is common among care home residents.

Teleswallowing is an innovative use of telemedicine. Speech and Language Therapists can rapidly and accurately assess a care home resident’s ability to swallow remotely, via video, and has proved a highly efficient clinical tool in Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS FT. Benefits include:

  • 100% diagnostic accuracy for diet and fluid modification compared to bedside assessment
  • Annual cost efficiency
  • 79.5% reduction in cost per patient compared to home visits
  • 66% reduction in time taken assessing each patient compared to home visits
  • 50% reduction in time taken assessing each patient compared to hospital bedside assessment
  • Improved response time to referrals
  • Quality service for patients and care homes

Teleswallowing benefits all stakeholders:

  • Patients - faster assessment in the comfort of their residential surroundings
  • Care homes - providing state-of-the-art technology for residents
  • SLT departments - long term time savings
  • CCGs - long term cost savings

Full pilot details and extension projecthttp://teleswallowing.com/

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