Drew Ben-Aharon, Chief Growth Officer, Great Speech05.19.23
Increased use of telehealth and virtual care services during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly expanded the number of people receiving primary and specialty care. Now, the spotlight for virtual care focuses on better speech and communications skills for children, adults and seniors.
With an internet connection and a quiet environment, individuals who are struggling to communicate are able to access care from a licensed speech therapist in the comfort of their own homes – anytime, anywhere:
Select health plans and medical benefits providers are providing tech-enabled virtual speech therapy that features a hybrid care plan model:
At Great Speech, for example, the practice portal replicates the experience of working out with a personal trainer. Therapists provide clients with videos and training tools to continue improving communications skills outside of their live sessions. This activity reinforces learning achieved during one-on-one sessions with the therapist and enables clients to achieve their goals faster. It is confirmation of the saying, “Practice Makes Progress.”
There are also opportunities to engage others, such as caregivers or parents. Some programs require two people, such as an exercise specifically designed for an individual with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The caregiver or family member creates additional questions or develops opportunities for sentence completion that further extend the practice sessions which are usually 4-5 minutes.
From the Patient side, the portal shows when the next session is, who the therapist is and “homework” which includes videos assigned by the therapist.
From the therapist's perspective, the program allows clinicians to see all their patients, what homework was assigned to each person and if the patient has completed the activity. The therapist can narrow down through a search tool what kind of exercises in the library will be best for that patient based on their specific needs.
When a client requests services, the process begins with a complimentary screening to capture condition information, confirm the patient’s age, symptoms, issues, challenges and specific needs to determine the most experienced therapist. This is more than simply ‘checking the boxes’ and getting the patient assigned to the next available therapist as is the practice in most brick-and-mortar clinics.
The system gathers the important data, filters the information and matches the therapist with the appropriate patient based upon his/her skillset and a complete picture of the therapist’s credentials and capabilities. This methodology ensures the best possible patient experience and outcome and advances patient satisfaction with care.
Drew Ben-Aharon is Chief Growth Officer, Great Speech Inc., the recognized leader in virtual speech therapy since 2014 which delivers convenient, specialized services to clients anytime, anywhere. Its innovative approach leverages technology to match licensed therapists with children, adults and seniors who need and seek better speech communication. Proud winner of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) 2023 Innovators Challenge for In-Patient Care Solutions and recipient of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification.
With an internet connection and a quiet environment, individuals who are struggling to communicate are able to access care from a licensed speech therapist in the comfort of their own homes – anytime, anywhere:
- Alzheimer’s and dementia-related skill loss
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Cognitive communication disorders
- Head and neck cancers
- Hearing loss
- Language and articulation disorders
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke and Aphasia rehabilitation
- Stuttering
- Transgender voice affirmation
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Voice disorders
- and more.
Select health plans and medical benefits providers are providing tech-enabled virtual speech therapy that features a hybrid care plan model:
- Synchronous live 1:1 sessions with a speech therapist enable the remote exchange of patient information through direct, real-time interaction between the therapist and a patient -- also referred to as a client or member of a health plan.
- Asynchronous access to a unique practice portal provides a “store-and-forward” approach where the therapist assigns practice exercises or “homework” for the patient to complete at their convenience. These assignments help to extend the value of their live sessions and further accelerate their progress.
At Great Speech, for example, the practice portal replicates the experience of working out with a personal trainer. Therapists provide clients with videos and training tools to continue improving communications skills outside of their live sessions. This activity reinforces learning achieved during one-on-one sessions with the therapist and enables clients to achieve their goals faster. It is confirmation of the saying, “Practice Makes Progress.”
There are also opportunities to engage others, such as caregivers or parents. Some programs require two people, such as an exercise specifically designed for an individual with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The caregiver or family member creates additional questions or develops opportunities for sentence completion that further extend the practice sessions which are usually 4-5 minutes.
How It Works
- The speech therapist selects from a library, or database, of exercises and assigns the “homework” to the patient.
- The system triggers reminders to the client to complete the activity.
- Upon completion of the assignment, a notification is sent to the speech therapist.
From the Patient side, the portal shows when the next session is, who the therapist is and “homework” which includes videos assigned by the therapist.
From the therapist's perspective, the program allows clinicians to see all their patients, what homework was assigned to each person and if the patient has completed the activity. The therapist can narrow down through a search tool what kind of exercises in the library will be best for that patient based on their specific needs.
Unique Algorithm Matching System
Built into the portal is an algorithmic matching system that filters down to the best group of therapists for the individual patient. This pairing process is based upon the therapist’s experience, education, classes, special training, licensing and interests as well as the precise age groups or conditions that the clinician has worked with.When a client requests services, the process begins with a complimentary screening to capture condition information, confirm the patient’s age, symptoms, issues, challenges and specific needs to determine the most experienced therapist. This is more than simply ‘checking the boxes’ and getting the patient assigned to the next available therapist as is the practice in most brick-and-mortar clinics.
The system gathers the important data, filters the information and matches the therapist with the appropriate patient based upon his/her skillset and a complete picture of the therapist’s credentials and capabilities. This methodology ensures the best possible patient experience and outcome and advances patient satisfaction with care.
Drew Ben-Aharon is Chief Growth Officer, Great Speech Inc., the recognized leader in virtual speech therapy since 2014 which delivers convenient, specialized services to clients anytime, anywhere. Its innovative approach leverages technology to match licensed therapists with children, adults and seniors who need and seek better speech communication. Proud winner of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) 2023 Innovators Challenge for In-Patient Care Solutions and recipient of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification.
