• Work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders.
• Performs an initial examination and evaluation to establish an impairment/diagnosis, prognosis and plan of care prior to intervention for all persons served with basic rehabilitation needs in acute care, outpatient or inpatient rehabilitation settings.
• Provides, or directs and supervises, the therapy intervention consistent with the results of the examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care. The therapist involves the patient/client and appropriate others in the planning, implementation, and assessment of the plan of care. Reexamines the patient/client as necessary during an episode of care to evaluate progress or change in patient/client status and modifies the plan of care accordingly or discontinues speech-language pathology services.
• The speech-language pathologist, in consultation with appropriate disciplines, plans for discharge of the patient/client taking into consideration achievement of anticipated goals and expected outcomes, and provides for appropriate follow-up or referral. The speech-language pathologist discontinues intervention when the patient/client is unable to continue to progress toward goals or when the speech-language pathologist determines that the patient/client will no longer benefit from therapy (in coordination with referring provider/team where indicated).
• Communicates, coordinates and documents all aspects of patient/client management including the results of the initial examination and evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, plan of care, interventions, response to interventions, barriers to progress, changes in patient/client status relative to the interventions, reexamination, and discharge/discontinuation of intervention and other patient/client management activities with members of the care team as indicated. Supervises and directs the patient care activities of assigned rehab aides, office assistants and volunteers.
• Manages schedule to accommodate range in census and patient load and informs management of any issues with caseload management.
• Attends team meetings and effectively communicates patient status, using, if needed, the medical record or other treating therapists to ensure sufficient knowledge of the case.
• Responsible for individual professional development activities.
• Educates and provides consultation to consumers, healthcare professionals, students and the public regarding the purposes and benefits of therapy