Medicare Restriction of Telehealth Speech Services Negatively Impacts Patient Care

OBJECTIVE

Ample literature shows voice and swallowing therapy, in-person or virtual, to be essential for Otolaryngology and Speech-Language Pathology care. In March 2023, Medicare announced discontinuing teletherapy reimbursement in hospital-based outpatient departments, effective May 2023. This decision was subsequently reversed; however, the uncertain interval period provided the opportunity to study the impact of eliminating teletherapy.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort.

SETTING

Tertiary laryngology center.

METHODS

Affected Medicare patients were contacted via mailed letter, phone, and secure patient portal and offered to change appointments to in-person, teletherapy with cash self-payment ($165-282/session) or cancellation. Demographics and responses were collected. Statistical analyses conducted using Student's t test.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients (28 female; mean age 66.8 ± 14.2 years) were impacted. 64% (n = 34) changed to in-person appointment, 28% (n = 15) canceled, 8% (n = 4) did not respond. No patients opted to self-pay. 67% of patients that canceled telehealth care cited distance from in-person care location. The mean distance for canceled versus rescheduled patients was 92.3 ± 93.0 versus 32.8 ± 57.4 miles, P = .034. Mean age, gender, and number of sessions were not different between groups. Mean time to third next available therapy appointment was 96 ± 46 versus 46 ± 12 days before and after rule change, P = .007. Upon Medicare's reversal, this trend rebounded to nearly baseline (mean 77 ± 12 days, P = .12).

CONCLUSION

Medicare's discontinuation of reimbursement for teletherapy services caused nearly 30% of patients to cancel voice and swallowing therapy, primarily due to distance. These cancellations led to decreased access to care for Medicare patients with voice/swallowing diagnoses, which affect function, quality of life, and potentially even mortality risk.

Adult Normative Data for the OMNI-Vocal Effort Scale (VES)

PURPOSE

To establish normative values for the OMNI-Vocal Effort Scale (VES) in healthy adults without voice complaints. Secondary objective is to determine if there are differences in perceived vocal effort across age groups and between sexes.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective data collection across groups.

METHOD

A nine-item survey was administered by speech-language pathologists with specialization in voice to consenting adults 18 years or older. Participants underwent an auditory perceptual evaluation of voice and answered questions regarding age, history of voice problems, history of voice surgery, smoking history and hearing loss. Participants were instructed to rate their perceived vocal effort in conversational speech using the OMNI-VES. Multivariant analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Two hundred and fifty-one participants were recruited. The majority of adults without voice complaints reported that producing conversational voice was within the "extremely easy" to "easy" range, 0-3 (92.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides preliminary data for perceived vocal effort. The OMNI-VES may be a useful tool in understanding changes in perceived vocal effort as a result of treatment for voice disorders. Further normative data are needed between sexes, across the gender spectrum, and older adult populations. Future directions include examining the magnitude of difference between numeric values on the scale and use of the scale with other dysphonic populations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 134:3726-3731, 2024.

Healthcare providers' perception towards utilization of health information applications and its associated factors in healthcare delivery in health facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

BACKGROUND

Information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly advanced global healthcare, with electronic health (e-Health) applications improving health records and delivery. These innovations, including electronic health records, strengthen healthcare systems. The study investigates healthcare professionals' perceptions of health information applications and their associated factors in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana's health facilities.

METHODS

We used a descriptive cross-sectional study design to collect data from 632 healthcare professionals (HCPs), in the three purposively selected health facilities in the Cape Coast municipality of Ghana, in July 2022. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the normality of dependent variables. Descriptive statistics were used to report means with corresponding standard deviations for continuous variables. Proportions were also reported for categorical variables. Bivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors influencing the Benefits of Information Technology (BoIT); Barriers to Information Technology Use (BITU); and Motives of Information Technology Use (MoITU) in healthcare delivery. Stata SE version 15 was used for the analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 served as the basis for considering a statistically significant accepting hypothesis.

RESULTS

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) generally perceived moderate benefits (Mean score (M) = 5.67) from information technology (IT) in healthcare. However, they slightly agreed that barriers like insufficient computers (M = 5.11), frequent system downtime (M = 5.09), low system performance (M = 5.04), and inadequate staff training (M = 4.88) hindered IT utilization. Respondents slightly agreed that training (M = 5.56), technical support (M = 5.46), and changes in work procedures (M = 5.10) motivated their IT use. Bivariate regression analysis revealed significant influences of education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training on attitudes towards IT utilization in healthcare delivery (BoIT, BITU, and MoITU). Additionally, the age of healthcare providers, education, and working experience significantly influenced BITU. Ultimately, age, education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training significantly influenced MoITU in healthcare delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals acknowledge moderate benefits of IT in healthcare but encounter barriers like inadequate resources and training. Motives for IT use include staff training and support. Bivariate regression analysis shows education, working experience, profession, and IT training significantly influence attitudes towards IT adoption. Targeted interventions and policies can enhance IT utilization in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.

Factors Related to Treatment Attendance for Patients Seeking Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to treatment attendance for patients seeking gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT).

METHOD

We completed retrospective chart reviews of 50 patients (43 transgender women, three transgender men, four nonbinary patients; aged 18-67 years, M = 34.92 years, SD = 12.32 years) referred for GAVT at a Midwest outpatient center from 2016 to 2021. Data extraction included patient demographics, therapy visit specifics (e.g., number of sessions attended, treatment completion status, and in-person vs. virtual visits) and treatment timing (in relation to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), and psychosocial and socioeconomic information.

RESULTS

There was no impact of treatment-timing relative to the onset of the pandemic on any attendance measure; however, patients were 1.9 times more likely to complete therapy with each virtual telehealth session attended. Individual factors of outside social support and hormone replacement therapy were positively related to the number of therapy sessions attended, whereas insurance provider and employment status were related to therapy completion.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic was positively associated with GAVT completion. Future research should investigate psychosocial and socioeconomic factors to understand how to identify patients at risk for poor treatment adherence and facilitate access to clinical care.

Effect of Behavioral Cough Suppression Therapy Delivered via Telehealth

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) has demonstrated up to 88% effectiveness at treating refractory chronic cough (RCC). With onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with many other medical services, BCST shifted to telehealth delivery. Our group hypothesized that BCST delivered via telemedicine by a specialized Speech-Language Pathologist would be comparable to previously reported response to treatment for in-person settings.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review.

METHODS

An Emory IRB approved, retrospective review of electronic medical records was completed for RCC patients who received BCST via telehealth from March 2020 through January 2022 at Emory Voice Center. Patients were included in the study if they had a diagnosis of RCC, were referred for BCST, were seen for at least one therapy session in the telehealth setting, and provided Cough Severity Index (CSI) data pre and post-treatment. Patients were excluded if they had incomplete datasets, a known pulmonary condition, structural laryngeal disorders, smoking history, dysphagia, and ACE-inhibitor use. Change in CSI score pre- and post-treatment was calculated to determine treatment effect. Paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare pre-and post-treatment CSI score change.

RESULTS

Fifty-one RCC patients were included in this study; 88% were female with an average age of 60 years (SD = 12.68). Post-treatment CSI scores were significantly lower than pretreatment CSI scores (P < 0.0001). These findings are comparable to historical documented CSI change achieved with in-person BCST.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides preliminary evidence of the efficacy of BCST via telehealth for treating RCC. The findings of this study support the continued flexibility in speech-language pathology service delivery to include in-person and telehealth platforms for RCC beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provider and Patient Satisfaction with Telemedicine Voice Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic expanded the use of telemedicine, but there is no literature exploring both patient and provider satisfaction specifically in the provision of voice therapy. This study aims to investigate patient and provider satisfaction with virtual voice therapy, its associated factors, and any correlation between the two.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Participants included 226 adults who underwent voice therapy delivered via telepractice at the USC Voice Center between April and October 2020. Patients and providers self-reported their level of satisfaction on a visual analog scale (VAS; range 0-100). Patient satisfaction was additionally measured using a previously validated Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ; range 1-5), and a binary question about their desire to choose telemedicine over in-person therapy in the future. Three speech-language pathologists rated provider satisfaction for all 226 patients. Patient satisfaction survey was completed by 55 patients. Multivariable linear regression analyses and linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the results.

RESULTS

Patient and provider mean (SD) VAS satisfaction scores were 86.8 (18.6) and 80.6 (19.7), respectively. The mean (SD) TSQ score was 4.4 (0.6). In a multivariable model, patient satisfaction levels were significantly higher for hypofunctional than for hyperfunctional dysphonia diagnoses. Forty-four (73%) patients reported they would prefer telemedicine voice therapy over in-person appointments, which was significantly correlated with internet reliability (P = 0.04). For providers, satisfaction was significantly lower for patients whose diagnosis had changed after initiation of voice therapy (Δ = -16.0 [95% CI: -28.7 to -3.2]) and for encounters with Asian patients compared to White patients (Δ = -11.6 [95% CI: -18.9 to -4.2]). Patient and provider satisfaction scores were weakly correlated (r = 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that virtual voice therapy is not simply an alternative to in-person service, but rather an effective method useful beyond the current pandemic with proper diagnosis and technical support.

Telepractice Considerations for Evaluation and Treatment of Voice Disorders: Tailoring to Specific Populations

PURPOSE

The aim of this clinical focus article is to provide recommendations for implementation of telepractice services for the evaluation and treatment of voice disorders and to use case examples to highlight the advantages of this modality of service delivery.

METHOD

In this clinical focus article, key factors for successful telepractice evaluation and treatment of voice and related disorders are discussed relative to clinical outcome measures. Case examples of telepractice voice therapy are described for a pediatric, transgender, and chronic cough client including associated acoustic, auditory-perceptual, and quality-of-life treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

Acoustic, perceptual, and quality-of-life outcome measures demonstrated functional voice improvements after treatment using the telepractice modality. The pediatric client showed decreased perceptual voice strain and increased speech intelligibility. The transgender client showed increased habitual speaking fundamental frequency (pitch) and quality of life. The chronic cough client showed improved vocal hygiene and reduced cough severity.

CONCLUSIONS

A review of the literature shows comparable outcomes for in-person and telepractice voice therapy, but special considerations must be made to ensure therapeutic success. We present three representative types of voice cases that illustrate implementation of voice evaluation and treatment using the telepractice modality. In all three cases, the clients' personal therapeutic goals were achieved without needing to travel to the clinic. Furthermore, asynchronous practice opportunities were found to be positive byproducts of using the telepractice modality.

Accuracy of Acoustic Measures of Voice via Telepractice Videoconferencing Platforms

Purpose Telepractice improves patient access to clinical care for voice disorders. Acoustic assessment has the potential to provide critical, objective information during telepractice, yet its validity via telepractice is currently unknown. The current study investigated the accuracy of acoustic measures of voice in a variety of telepractice platforms. Method Twenty-nine voice samples from individuals with dysphonia were transmitted over six video conferencing platforms (Zoom with and without enhancements, Cisco WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Doxy.me, and VSee Messenger). Standard time-, spectral-, and cepstral-based acoustic measures were calculated. The effect of transmission condition on each acoustic measure was assessed using repeated-measures analyses of variance. For those acoustic measures for which transmission condition was a significant factor, linear regression analysis was performed on the difference between the original recording and each telepractice platform, with the overall severity of dysphonia, Internet speed, and ambient noise from the transmitter as predictors. Results Transmission condition was a statistically significant factor for all acoustic measures except for mean fundamental frequency (f o). Ambient noise from the transmitter was a significant predictor of differences between platforms and the original recordings for all acoustic measures except f o measures. All telepractice platforms affected acoustic measures in a statistically significantly manner, although the effects of platforms varied by measure. Conclusions Overall, measures of f o were the least impacted by telepractice transmission. Microsoft Teams had the least and Zoom (with enhancements) had the most pronounced effects on acoustic measures. These results provide valuable insight into the relative validity of acoustic measures of voice when collected via telepractice. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14794812.

COVID-19 and Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Practice of Voice and Upper Airway Disorders

Purpose Evaluation and management of voice and upper airway disorders in adults and children, by speech-language pathologists worldwide, have been significantly altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary to the pathogenic nature of the virus in the respiratory tract and upper airway, it is essential that speech-language pathologists who specialize in these disorders are knowledgeable of current practices to provide evidence-based care while minimizing viral transmission. Understanding how and when SARS-CoV-2 spreads is critical to the development of effective infection prevention within clinical practices. Method We established an evidence-based clinical practice guide for clinicians working with voice and upper airway through a comprehensive evaluation of peer-reviewed journals, non-peer-reviewed manuscripts on preprint servers, national health guidelines, and published and online consensus statements and emerging data. Emphasis was placed on risk mitigation for viral transmission via safe clinical practices, including evaluative procedures, therapy including telehealth, personal protective equipment, room, staffing, and distancing considerations. Results/Conclusions While knowledge relevant to viral transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly evolving, there is a paucity of literature specific to the evaluation and treatment of voice and upper airway disorders. Within these confines and given the potentially significant high risk of infection secondary to the nature of COVID-19, we summarize current considerations and recommend best practices that maximize risk mitigation whereby ensuring patient and provider safety.