Case History: Speech pathologists achieve 50% to 80% reduction in report writing time

Virtual brain trust delivers best assessment practice to thousands of practitioners

The Problem

Conducting a speech assessment is a complex process - analyzing a patient's general background, behavior, oral peripheral mechanisms, hearing, articulation, phonology, voice characteristics, language, and fluency.  In all, hundreds of different elements need to be considered.

The assessment is not merely running down a checklist.  It requires drawing judgments and inferences about the causes and effects of the observed conditions, and considering many interdependencies.  For example, frequent ear infections during childhood can adversely impact language development.

In addition, practitioners usually spend an inordinate amount of time writing reports detailing their findings.  The time spent writing and editing reports puts serious limitations on the number of patients each practitioner is able to diagnose and treat.

The Solution

A brain trust was formed consisting of five leading speech therapists.  The major elements of the speech assessment process, hundreds in all, were captured and organized into a software application built using the Acappella^® technology.  The resulting application does not force a practitioner into a rigid set of procedures, but rather acts as a guide, allowing flexibility, intuition, and judgment.  At the same time, the entire body of knowledge for conducting speech assessment is available for quick and easy reference.

The software application is currently being used by thousands of practitioners.  The minimum amount of time saved in report writing has been 50%, with some reporting reductions as high as 80%.  Practitioners reported improved ability to cover the entire spectrum of possible conditions, and to conduct more thorough, consistent, comprehensive and accurate assessments.