Speech Pathologist

The Speech Pathologist acts as an active member of the Laryngology and Head and Neck teams. This position works closely with experienced, specialized Otolaryngologists primarily in the outpatient setting, with some inpatient work, exclusively supporting a large academic tertiary referral practice focusing on the evaluation and management of a range of complex voice, airway, and swallowing disorders.

Work with Laryngologists in an outpatient setting to treat patients with a specific focus on voice related disorders. The patient population will include all patients with voice disorders including professional voice users and singers. Diagnoses may include benign laryngeal lesions, vocal fold paralysis, Parkinson's disease and other neurologic voice disorders, chronic cough, paradoxical vocal fold motion, etc.
• Work with specialized Head & Neck Otolaryngologists in an outpatient and inpatient setting to treat patients with a specific focus on evaluation and treatment of dysphagia including head and neck cancer, neurologic disorders, and functional etiologies.
• Participate as a member of a multidisciplinary team including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and support staff to evaluate and manage new and return patients, provide pre-operative and post-operative education and care, inpatient consultations, inpatient rounding, and coordinate care with providers within and outside the University setting.
• Participate in all facets of the outpatient clinical service to include the following: evaluate and manage new and return patient visits, provide pre-operative and post-operative education and care, and coordination of care with providers within and outside the University setting.
• Perform specialized procedures to screen, evaluate and diagnose voice, swallowing and upper airway disorders as referred by a licensed physician, including evaluation and management of tracheoesophageal puncture; videolaryngostroboscopic (flexible fiberoptic and rigid) examination of the vocal tract, computerized acoustic and aerodynamic analysis, motor-speech examination, perceptual evaluation of voice, and history taking.
• Develop and implement treatment plans based on the results of evaluation and goals established. Treatment may require use of specialized instrumentation listed above for physiologic monitoring to maximize patient response in voice/speech therapy (Treatment may require sizing and placement of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses for alaryngeal speakers and training patients in alaryngeal speech techniques (electrolarynx, esophageal speech)).
• Provide administrative support and thorough follow-up to ensure orderly, effective, and superior patient care. This may include the development and implementation of educational materials or protocols for staff and patients.
• Educate and counsel patients, family and/or caregivers regarding evaluation results, treatment recommendations, and the psychological consequences of communication disorders.
• Confer with physicians in the review of patients evaluated in the Laryngology and Head and Neck clinics to assist in establishing the medical diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
• Complete patient care documentation as required, including evaluation and progress reports, forms for third-party reimbursement, etc.
• Assist in the education of students, residents, nurses, and medical assistants in the field of speech-language pathology
• Performs other duties as assigned

CONFIDENTIAL AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION:

• Ensure confidentiality of all patient records and care per confidentiality policy and HIPAA policies.
• Maintain the utmost confidentiality of all pertinent referral records, business plan and files.

Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Virginia State license to practice, and a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Completion of a clinical fellowship with an emphasis on voice and dysphagia related disorders. Experience in vocal performance and vocal pedagogy including working with singers is preferred. Experience in the care of individuals following laryngectomy including voice prosthesis management is preferred. Experience using common voice therapy techniques (e.g., Vocal Function Exercises, Resonant Voice Therapy, and Lee Silverman Voice Treatment is preferred.

Job Specific Competencies:

• Strong leadership skills to assist with growth of division.
• Ability to work with a variety of health care providers and specialists.
• Previous research experience and interest in collaboration on research endeavors.
• Outstanding communication skills and ability to deliver presentations to the community and at national meetings.