Improving Detection of Vocal Cord Impairment in Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Qi-driven Checklist Pilot Based on AAO-HNSF Guidelines 1202

Thursday, October 30, 2025

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: ROOM: Private Dining Room #7 >>> DIRECTIONS Third Floor >>> From the Main Elevator Bank, proceed right and then right again after the stairs. PDR #7 is located at the end of the corridor on the left.

Corresponding Presenter(s)

Alicia Vose, PhD CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor
University of Florida
St Augustine, FL, United States

Presenter(s)

Monica Tyrrell, MA CCC-SLP

Speech Pathologist
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jacksonville, FL, United States
Nicole Ferrier, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS

Speech Pathologist
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jacksonville, FL, United States

Non-Presenting Contributor(s)

Mark G. Bowden, PhD, PT

Vice President of Clinical Integration and Research
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jacksonville, FL, United States
Mindi R. Manes, PhD (she/her/hers)

Director Center for Outcomes Analytics and Research
Brooks Rehabilitation
Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Heather Kendall, MSN, RN, LSSBB, CPHQ

System Director of Quality and Patient Safety
Brooks Rehab
Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Vocal cord impairment is an underrecognized barrier to recovery in inpatient rehabilitation, often contributing to aspiration risk, respiratory complications, and delayed progress. This session presents a quality improvement initiative that implemented a structured screening checklist based on national guidelines to support early identification and referral. Speakers will share the development and integration of the checklist into clinical workflow, pilot data on its impact, and real-world examples of how timely identification led to meaningful changes in medical and rehabilitative management. Interdisciplinary perspectives from speech-language pathology, otolaryngology, and rehabilitation medicine will highlight the clinical, operational, and financial implications of addressing laryngeal dysfunction in this setting. Attendees will leave with practical tools and strategies to implement or enhance screening practices within their own institutions to improve patient safety, care coordination, and functional outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the physiologic role of the vocal cords beyond phonation, including their contribution to airway protection, respiratory support, and thoracic stabilization during functional tasks in inpatient rehabilitation settings.
Identify key risk factors for vocal cord impairment (VCI) in neurologic and medically complex patients, and summarize national guideline recommendations (AAO-HNSF) for timely ENT referral and laryngeal visualization.
Evaluate the feasibility and clinical impact of implementing a structured screening checklist for VCI in inpatient rehabilitation, including early outcomes from a quality improvement initiative and strategies for interdisciplinary adoption.