FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a speech therapy service?
A speech therapy service is responsible for both providing qualified speech language pathologists AND the program development to grow a clinically appropriate speech therapy caseload. A speech therapy service is an operational partner that functions as valuable member of the SNF interdisciplinary team who is invested in the success of the department and the well-being of the patients.
What is the difference between a speech therapy service and a staffing company?
A speech therapy service is responsible for operating the speech therapy department by providing qualified SLPs and program development. A staffing agency just sends you an SLP.
Why do you just perform speech therapy and not physical and occupational therapy?
Language Fundamentals has great partners who excel in physical and occupational therapy. Let us know if you would like to discuss.
Is it a good idea for speech therapy to be part of the interdisciplinary team at my SNF?
Language Fundamentals has great partners who excel in physical and occupational therapy. Let us know if you would like to discuss.
How do I measure the productivity of a speech language pathologist?
Productivity for speech language pathologists is measured by counting their time spent performing evaluations, treatments, and PDPM assessments divided by their total time in the building.
What does a speech language pathologist treat besides help with talking?
Speech Language Pathologists work on a myriad of issues relating to speech, language, cognition, voice, swallowing/eating (also called dysphagia) and fluency (also called stuttering). In addition, speech language pathologists can offer assistance when a person has no voice at all. Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) enables a person to speak using a variety of computer based or low tech communication devices.
Does Language Fundamentals perform mobile FEES?
Yes, we have several SLPs in our organization who are highly proficient in performing mobile FEES.
Can any Speech Therapist perform a FEES exam?
No, a SLP should be specially trained and have multiple passes supervised by another SLP who is highly proficient in performing FEES.
Can speech therapy help improve my PDPM scores?
Yes, the SLP Component is a critical portion of PDPM where a trained speech language pathologist can make a significant positive financial impact. The dollar values from top to bottom in the SLP Component range from $15 to over $100 ppd on average. There is certainly a premium on accuracy of coding.
What is a good SLP Component PDPM per diem rate?
It depends on the geographic area. A Language Fundamentals speech therapy department analysis is a great tool to measure the performance of your speech department.
Should speech be helping my building improve our case mix index?
Absolutely. A great medical SLP should excel in treating the long-term care population and contribute to the CMI of the building.
How many patients in my building should be on altered diets or thickened liquids?
While it depends on the patient population, it should certainly be a goal to have patients on the safest, yet least restrictive diet possible.
What is a reasonable SNF speech therapy caseload?
Depending on the setting, between 12-15 patients per SLP
Why is it so difficult to find nursing home speech language pathologists?
There are a myriad of factors. Becoming a speech language pathologist isn’t easy. Getting into a graduate program is highly competitive, with a very grueling academic regimen. Having a positive experience with strong supervision during the Clinical Fellowship (CFY) will get new clinicians started on the right step. Having a network of SLPs able to provide a level of mentoring and clinical idea sharing provides benefits that pay dividends over and over.
Is a Clinical Fellow still a student?
No! A Clinical Fellow has graduated with at least a master’s degree in communication disorders or communication sciences. A clinical fellow will work under the supervision of a approved and certified speech language pathologist that holds credentials in good standing with our governing board the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Some states allow for temporary licensing of Clinical Fellows while others do not. Please check with your state for their specific requirements.
Does Language Fundamentals do 13-week assignments?
No
Does Language Fundamentals perform teletherapy?
Yes, with the right tools, teletherapy can be highly effective especially for SNFs in rural areas
Do you perform speech therapy services for children?
In 2017 our sister company, SLP Communication Foundations was created to meet this need. We now service over 30 counties in New York State providing early intervention, case management, speech therapy for schools, and now occupational & physical therapy!
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