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Issue Focus: Students in Health Care Settings
Treatment Tips | Breaking News | What's New on ASHA.org | Featured Question
For Your Professional Development | Shop ASHA | Announcements
Welcome to Access SLP Health Care, ASHA's bimonthly e-newsletter that addresses the specific needs of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in health care. If you have not already subscribed, send a blank e-mail with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to: Access-SLPhealthcare-request@lists.asha.org. If you know colleagues who might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this e-mail.
Join the Access SLP Health Care Community!
Share Your Treatment Tips
Tell us what is working for you and improving the services you provide. Do you use an old tool in a new way? Have you streamlined your documentation? Are you able to manage cancellations and no-shows in your facility? Share what works for you with your colleagues!
Treatment Tip Submission Form
This month's tip comes from Joan Green, M.A, CCC-SLP, founder of Innovative Speech Therapy in Potomac, MD and author of "Technology for Communication and Cognitive Treatment: The Clinician's Guide."
Software with text-to-speech capabilities can read aloud text on a computer screen. With the help of a creative clinician, this multi-sensory input is very helpful for helping people with all communication and cognitive challenges. It's visually engaging and increases reading speed, comprehension, retention, speech and written expression.
There are quite a few text-to-speech products on the market that vary in the features they offer. Reading features may include the ability to control auditory features and visual presentation, and the ability to save the documents as auditory files that can be downloaded to handheld devices. Options such as voice, rate of speech, highlighting, and screen display may be individualized, depending on the software. Text can be read back a letter, word, line, sentence, or paragraph at a time. Words can be magnified as they are read aloud. Many text reading programs can work with e-mail, Web sites, and Microsoft Word and PDF documents.
A few of the programs for Windows-based systems which are affordable and that I use frequently in my practice are:
Computers today come with basic text-to-speech software built in and are worth a try!
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Breaking News!
Alert! Congress Passes Medicare Relief Legislation
The bill includes language allowing private practice SLPs to bill Medicare.
Cultural Competence Corner
The Joint Commission recently released a new report on working with diverse populations. Read more about One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations.
New Medicare Rules Published for Speech-Language Pathology
Learn about changes to billing and documentation requirements.
It's Not Too Early to Think About the ASHA Convention!
Convention housing is now open. Don't be left without a place to stay in Chicago.
Resources and links are available to help members learn more about how to contact ASHA National Office staff and take advantage of available services.
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Featured Question - Students in Health Care Settings
Can I bill for services provided by a student? Can students write treatment notes in the medical chart?
In the ASHA Issues in Ethics statement on Fees for Clinical Services Provided by Students and Clinical Fellows, it states that "Principle of Ethics II, Rule A of the Code of Ethics recognizes the professional acceptability of appropriately supervised clinical practice by student clinicians and clinical fellows in training." Therefore, billing for such services is allowable by ASHA, provided those services meet or exceed professional standards of supervision.
Payers differ in their regulations regarding paying for services provided by student clinicians. Medicare coverage of student clinicians differs depending on setting and whether the person is a Part A or Part B beneficiary. To find out the requirements for private payers, it is best to contact them directly as each will differ and may or may not follow Medicare's regulations.
As for whether or not the student can write notes, the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual [PDF, 1.2MB] (see page 185 of 253) states that "The qualified practitioner is responsible for the services and as such, signs all documentation. (A student may, of course, also sign but it is not necessary since the Part B payment is for the clinician's service, not for the student's services)." Note that the manual does not say that the supervising clinician must write the note, but that they must sign all notes.
More information about student supervision is available on ASHA's Web site.
For Your Professional Development
Find a course that's right for you.
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Shop ASHA
Visit ASHA's online store.
Memory Disorder in Traumatic Brain Injury: Principles of Assessment and Treatment
ASHA's new audio self-study will enable you to discuss current theoretical modes on memory, select memory assessments that relate to contemporary theories on memory, integrate results of memory assessment to design appropriate treatment goals and activities.
Decision Making in Adult Dysphagia
 ASHA's dynamic web workshop will help you identify key issues related to intra- and inter-judge agreements, choose appropriate measures from the various tools of the trade, provide a supportive environment to the interdisciplinary team, and choose appropriate management options for dysphagia patients.
Purchase either of these programs by July 15 and save 15% on them. Use promo code SS08 at ASHA's online store or call Product Sales at 888-498-6699.
 Jump Up and Save Big Time at ASHA
Interested in a different program? No problem. You can save 15% on almost everything at the ASHA Online Store through July 15. Browse ASHA's professional development programs, consumer education products, reference books and logo merchanidse. When you're ready to make a purchase, enter promotional code SS08 at checkout, or call ASHA Product Sales at 888-498-6699.
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Announcements
ASHA's Board of Directors Wants to Hear From You!
Use the "In Touch" form to share your professional issues, concerns, or congratulations! And thanks for being in touch!
ASHA Members May Now Submit Resolutions Using an Online Form
Be sure to read Resolutions Process and Principles for Preparation of Resolutions before you get started to make sure a resolution is your most appropriate course of action!
Get Discovered! Sign Up for ProSearch—ASHA's Free Referral Service
Want to meet your patients' needs more effectively? ProSearch, ASHA's online directory of audiology and speech-language pathology programs, helps consumers find quality services from thousands of programs that employ ASHA certified SLPs and audiologists.
Funds Available to Support Childhood Apraxia of Speech Treatment Research
The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA) announces the availability of funds to support treatment research relevant to childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. EST, August 1, 2008.
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Watch for the next issue of Access SLP Health Care in September 2008.
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