Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is our mission?
2. Still need to contact us?
3. When to consider an onsite physician-supervised professional imaging study consult?
4. What is the benefit of performing the Study?

1. What is our mission?

Itinerant dysphagia consultants reduce cost, increase quality, provide overall greater value to a patient, their family and their payer.

2. Still need to contact us?

Call us at 1-855-209-1979

3. When to consider an onsite physician-supervised Midwest Dysphagia study consult?

1. The resident is too debilitated, nervous, or anxious to be out of the facility for 3-4 hours.
2. Behavior issues or size restrictions could cause the exam to be canceled at the hospital.
3. The patient is tracheostomy and/or ventilator dependent.
4. Staff members are required to accompany the resident to the hospital.
5. The resident is unable to stand or move into the fluoroscopy unit.
6. Size/frailty will negatively affect the hospital's ability to evaluate.
7. The resident is wheelchair or geri chair bound.
8. The facility or resident is responsible to pay the transportation cost.
9. The SNF SLP needs to attend the evaluation.
10. The SNF SLP needs to consult with the evaluating SLP about strategies and treatment options before/during/after the exam.
11. It is important to test unusual strategies (upright vs. reclined position, Passy-Muir Valve on and off, etc.).
12. Screening of the esophagus in the AP position is desired due to concerns about vocal fold function or potential esophageal issues.
13. The test results/information is needed in a timely manner.
14. Delay in scheduling at the hospital. 
15. It is important for family member(s) to attend.

4. What is the benefit of performing the Study?

1. Reducing travel expenses and time for the patient and the payor.
2. Preventing the impact of travel on fragile patients undergoing consultation.
3. Improving the quality of the consultation because the patient is not fatigued and can fully participate in the evaluation, including the fluoroscopic swallow study.
4. Providing immediate written and visual feedback at the site of service for the patient’s treatment team.
5. Giving immediate written input to the plan of care with specific recommendations to the care team.
6. Allowing participation of the treating facility team members during the actual consultation so that the strategies may be suggested and tested prior to implementation in the facility.
7. Permitting family members to observe and participate in the consultation
8. Preventing the unnecessary referral to emergency rooms for coughing and choking.
9. Providing a comprehensive physician evaluation of the ability of the patient to remain at their own facility and continue alimentation.
10. Preventing unnecessary placement of peg tubes when the consultation indicates that the patient will not benefit and/or is at end stage of their own pathologic condition.
11. Providing recommendations for patients who are candidates for rehabilitation and recommendations for those who are not with regard to alimentation. Reducing the cost of multiple in and out patient referrals without an integrated plan development resulting. (i.e., referral to radiologist, then gastroenterologist, the ENT, and finally PM&R, when one consultation evaluates all the organ systems at one time during multiple swallows)