Swallowing Treatment: What’s Next?

Treatment for dysphagia requires a thorough, targeted, and accurate diagnostic workup. A systematic approach to treatment is guided by goals of care and identification of disordered physiologic components. Understanding each of the components and how they relate to treatment outcomes for swallowing is requisite for improving swallowing safety and quality of life. There are intricate relationships between a patient’s comorbidities, medical and/or cognitive changes, and the patient’s medical management that must be considered prior to establishing goals for treatment and patient management. The approach to treatment should include an organized, pragmatic approach. PARTNERS provides a detailed framework necessary to consider patient and multidisciplinary team treatment goals. This course will highlight the physiologic impairments contributing to dysphagia and offer evidence-based guidance for a comprehensive approach to treatment using ICU setting examples.