Swallowing Cinema:
Multidisciplinary Perspectives and Management
of the Medically Complex Patient – Visualization through Instrumental Examination
Course Schedule
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Intro: 10 MinutesCase 1: TBD with Dr. Debra Suiter - 20 Minutes
Case 2: Complex Medical Case with Jo Puntil - 20 MinutesCase 3: Dysphagia following Total Laryngectomy Dr. Barbara Messing - 20 MinutesCase 4: Chondrosarcoma of the Larynx with Julie Blair - 20 MinutesDiscussion Panel: Dr. Debra Suiter, Dr. Barbara Messing, Julie Blaire, Jo Puntil, Laurie Sterling - 30 minutes
Learning Objectives:
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1. State three key common pieces of information that is pertinent from a medical history that helps achieve a differential diagnosis.
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2. Discuss the incidental findings that can occur from MBS/FEES/Manometric procedures and how these assist in developing a plan of care for the patient.
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3. Compare the outcomes and patient quality of life from the diverse dysphagia etiologies.
Instructors
Debra Suiter, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, F-ASHA
Dr. Debra Suiter is Director of the Voice and Swallow Clinic and Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her research and clinical work focus on the assessment and treatment of adults with swallowing disorders. She is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and a Board-Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.
Financial Disclosures:
Salary, University of Kentucky;
Salary, University of Kentucky;
Gap Education - speaking fee.
Non-Financial Disclosures: None
Barbara Pisano Messing, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, F-ASHA
Barbara Pisano Messing is an experienced speech pathologist with over 35 years of clinical and administrative expertise. She has served as the administrative-clinical director of the Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head and Neck Center, Head and Neck Surgery, and Johns Hopkins Voice Center at GBMC in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Messing is widely recognized as a clinical specialist in head and neck rehabilitation and is a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. Her contributions to the field include numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She is a sought-after speaker, presenting nationally and internationally on topics such as dysphagia, esophageal disorders, and clinical pathways and outcomes in head and neck cancer. Her clinical and research interests focus on head and neck cancer rehabilitation, dysphagia, and voice disorders. Dr. Messing earned her PhD from the University of Queensland, where her research centered on dysphagia in head and neck cancer patients. She completed her doctoral program in 2020, receiving the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses for her work, An Examination of Functional Outcomes Following Head and Neck Cancer and Enhancing New Pathways of Care.
Financial Disclosures:
Salary from Atos Medical;
Financial Disclosures:
Salary from Atos Medical;
Gap Education - speaking fee.
Non-Financial Disclosures: None
Jo Puntil M.S. CCC-SLP BCS-S, F-ASHA
Jo Puntil is a highly respected leader in the field of Speech-Pathology, particularly in swallowing/communication disorders in Intensive and Acute Care. As an ASHA Fellow and past chair of the CFCC, she has made significant contributions to the profession. Her extensive background includes national and international lectures, and she has a strong presence on platforms like MedBridge, where she offers several courses. With over 35 years of experience, Jo has been instrumental in developing interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs in southern California and Utah, focusing on critical and acute care settings. Jo's numerous honors and publications reflect her dedication to advancing knowledge and practice in acute care, making her a valuable resource for both clinicians and researchers in the field.
Financial Disclosures:
Financial Disclosures:
Gap Education - speaking fee.
Non-Financial Disclosures: Reviewer For possible Publication: AJSLP, AJSHR, DRS
Julie Blair, MA CCC-SLP BCS-S
Julie Blair is a senior speech pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina and a member of the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team. She holds an adjunct faculty position at the College of Health Professions where she teaches an introductory course in Head and Neck Cancer and provides clinical supervision for the speech pathology graduate program at MUSC. Mrs. Blair earned her Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1994. Her primary areas of interest are voice and swallowing as it relates to the head and neck cancer patient. She has contributed to over 20 collaborative research studies and her work has been published in over a dozen peer-reviewed publications. She has presented at the local, national and international levels. Mrs. Blair received a Presidential Citation from the American Head and Neck Society in 2014 and was awarded the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team Clinician of the Year in 2004 and 2022. She is a member of the Dysphagia Research Society and is a Board-Certified Swallowing Specialist. She has served on the Coordinating Committee for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders Special Interest Group and was co-chair on the development of the Dysphagia Competency Validation Tool.
Financial Disclosures:
Medical University of South Carolina - salary;
Gap Education, speaking fee.
Non-Financial Disclosures: None
Panel Moderator
Laurie Sterling, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, F-ASHA
Laurie Sterling is a Senior Speech Pathologist at Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, with over 30 years of experience in critical and acute care. The majority of her career was spent at Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where she specialized in dysphagia and dysarthria, particularly in patients with progressive neurological disorders. Laurie has published and presented both nationally and internationally, focusing on issues impacting patients with ALS.
In 2017, Laurie shifted focus, embracing a new challenge at Texas Children's Hospital, the largest children's hospital in the U.S., to expand her expertise in diagnosing and treating swallowing disorders in pediatric patients. During her time there, she became a key member of the Lung Transplant Multidisciplinary Team.
In 2021, Laurie returned to the Houston Methodist system at Clear Lake, where she continues her work in speech pathology. An ASHA Fellow, Laurie has contributed significantly to the field through her leadership roles, including serving on the SIG 13 Coordinating Committee, the AB-SSD Board, the CAA, and the CFCC. She co-chaired the 2019 ASHA Convention and will again serve as Co-chair for the Centennial ASHA Convention in 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Financial Disclosures:
Full time salary - Houston Methodist Hospital;
Full time salary - Houston Methodist Hospital;
Gap Education - speaking fee.
Non-Financial Disclosures: None
Non-Financial Disclosures: None
To earn a certificate, and ASHA CEUs if desired, eligible learners must do the following within one week of attending the webinar:
- View the entire course (Platform = Zoom)
- Complete required items in a learner survey
Gap Education -
Providing high-quality, affordable medical SLP courses.
Our goal is to facilitate greater depth in medically-focused speech-language pathology training through post-professional education. Our patients deserve it, and you deserve it!
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