Ultra SLP: Evidence and Practice in Ultrasound Feedback Therapy

About This Grant

Project Summary There is a growing body of evidence supporting the use of ultrasound as a real-time visual feedback tool to assess and treat speech sound disorders, voice, and swallowing difficulties. However, there are no opportunities for Speech-Language Pathologists to collaboratively learn how to use the technology, to access expert consensus, or to immerse themselves in the active clinical research climate that surrounds ultrasound. Because conferences allow for knowledge dissemination, high-quality training opportunities, and professional connections, this is a key moment to hold a clinically-focused conference for Speech-Language Pathologists. The goal of this R13 application is to establish a conference (“UltraSLP”) concerning ultrasound use in the Speech Language Pathology field, recurring over two years. By prioritizing evidence-based knowledge transmission, this conference aligns with NIDCD goals of supporting research and research training related to disease prevention and health promotion. UltraSLP draws on the substantial ultrasound clinical research presence of the University of Cincinnati and its collaborative host, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, to attract clinicians from around the country, representative of different regions, populations, and clinical practice types. The conference's central location in Cincinnati, OH is easily accessible. As an Implementation-Science (IS) conference, UltraSLP promotes researcher-clinician partnerships by including a data gathering plan before and after the conference, prioritizing clinician perspectives in conference plans, including round-table sessions for clinician-researcher discussions, and connecting interested attendees with post-conference mentorship. Pre- post conference surveys and mentorship conversations will provide generalizable data to understand the context, needs, and individual factors influencing successful ultrasound integration in existing clinical workflows. UltraSLP's format is designed for participation by working clinicians, featuring a short conference duration (two days), low conference registration fees, scholarships for working clinicians to defray the cost of attendance, and the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. The primary purpose of this conference grant proposal is to request funding for conference attendance for working clinicians, family care support, and administrative support for the coordination of the UltraSLP conference. Support from the NIDCD will enable UltraSLP to foster new partnerships in clinical innovation through an evidence-based technology that has demonstrated potential to improve outcomes for individuals with disorders of speech and swallowing.