TIMS Medical

For our October TIMS University event, TIMS Medical is proud to partner with Laura McWilliams, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S to support healthcare professionals affected by Hurricane Helene through the course, "Safety, Standardization, Swiss Cheese & the SLP." Join us on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, from 8:00 - 9:00 PM EST. In this course, Laura will cover key topics in patient safety and quality improvement, focusing on SLP practice. Attendees will explore the Swiss Cheese Model of risk management, strategies to identify diagnostic errors, and practical approaches for enhancing clinical safety and outcomes. She will also highlight the importance of standardization in voice and swallowing diagnostics. Beyond her expertise, Laura has been deeply involved in her community’s recovery following the hurricane, advocating for stronger support systems, safety measures, and communication among healthcare teams during crises. This event is free, and donations are welcome, with all proceeds going directly to healthcare teams impacted by the hurricane. The course offers 0.1 ASHA CEUs, providing an opportunity to learn, give back, and help rebuild the healthcare community. To register for the course, click here: https://lnkd.in/gEfxUa3z To donate, click here: https: https://gofund.me/08fc02af Thank you for your support in helping healthcare communities recover!

Today we are providing a quick review of vocal fold polyps. Read on to learn more! Vocal fold polyps are benign lesions that are often unilateral (Vasconcelos et al., 2019). Polyps originate due to phonotrauma; however, irritants such as gastroesophageal reflux, smoking, aspiration of chemical substances, or intense respiratory activities may contribute to their development (Bohlender et al., 2013; Johns (2003), Martins et al., 2009). Signs and symptoms of polyps include breathiness, hoarseness, or vocal fatigue (Toran et al., 2010). The shape of polyps may be classified as peduncular or sessile (Vasconcelos et al., 2019). A sessile polyp has a broad base, whereas a pedunculated polyp has a small stalk. The size, position, and type of polyp impact vocal qualities, including hoarseness, harshness, and breathiness, and abnormal voice qualities, including hoarseness, harshness, and breathiness (Casper & Leonard, 2006). Treatment options may include traditional laryngeal microsurgery, conservative medical treatment, the use of an endoscopic laser, steroid injections, flexible laryngostroboscopic surgery, acupuncture, voice therapy, and vocal health orientation associated with antireflux medication (Hsu et al., 2009; Ivey et al., 2008; Jeong et al., 2014; Lan et al., 2010; Mallur et al., 2011; Sahin et al., 2018; Srirompotong et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2013; Yiu et al., 2016). To learn more, check out the references cited in this post. FEES snapshot courtesy of Monica Lupo, M.A., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, CDP, LSVT-C, CLTS.

Last month, we had the honor of collaborating with the outstanding healthcare team at Emory Decatur Hospital, whose dedication to patient health and wellness is evident. To enhance their radiology suite, Emory Decatur has integrated TIMS MVP into their workflow for both videofluoroscopic and flexible endoscopic evaluations of swallowing (VFSS and FEES). These advanced solutions will seamlessly complement their existing Siemens Axion TF and Olympus CV-170 systems, ensuring the highest level of care and diagnostic precision. We extend our thanks to the Emory Decatur Hospital team, as well as our valued partners at Siemens Healthineers and Olympus Corporation of the Americas, for their commitment to advancing patient care!

Recently, we had the privilege of collaborating with the team at WVU Medicine in Morgantown, WV. This dedicated group is committed to improving the health of West Virginians through excellence in patient care, research, and education. Their commitment to transforming lives and addressing health disparities was evident throughout our work together. To support their goal of improving patient outcomes, the team at WVU has integrated TIMS MVP into their radiology suite, using it alongside their Toshiba Kalare. We are deeply grateful to the wonderful healthcare professionals at WVU Medicine and our colleagues at Toshiba!

Last week, we had the incredible honor of collaborating with the healthcare professionals at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, VA. This incredible team is committed to providing the highest quality and safest care possible. Their mission of providing world-class healthcare to every person in their community, was evident in our collaborative work together. As demonstrated in these photos, the team has added TIMS MVP to their clinical practice for use in conjunction with their KARL STORZ and Ambu FEES equipment. We extend our thanks to the team at Inova Mount Vernon, and to our partners at Ambu USA and KARL STORZ!

Are you interested in supporting research? Are you consistently utilizing the MBSImP in your MBS assessments? If you answered "yes" to the above questions, we encourage you to begin uploading your MBSImP studies into the MBSImP Global Swallow Data Registry. To date, the Registry has more than 120,000 MBSImP studies uploaded from clinicians around the world. The team at Northwestern University is utilizing this Registry for research. For example, studies allow researchers to look at phenotypes within populations of dysphagic individuals. When your MBSImP study is uploaded into the Registry, the MBSImP site provides you with a downloadable report that includes an anatomical diagram, MSBImP scores and results, and more. For step-by-step instructions, check out this tutorial video.

The TIMS Medical team would like to express our gratitude to everyone who participated in the “Defining Dysphagia: In Search of a Unified Definition for the Aging Population” event. The conference was filled with rich discussions, expert insights, and collaborations that laid the groundwork for exciting future steps in the field. We thank Dr. Suiter, Dr. Brodsky, and Dr. Carnaby for organizing this incredible event, the esteemed speakers for sharing their knowledge and perspectives, and the attendees who contributed their expertise to this essential conversation. Together, we’ve taken important strides toward addressing the challenges of dysphagia in aging populations. Your participation has moved us closer to a unified understanding and solutions that can improve lives. Stay tuned for upcoming initiatives as we continue working together to shape the future of dysphagia care!

Today we are discussing the impact of EMST on cardiovascular response. Let’s get into it! In a study by Laciuga et al. (2012) changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and oxygen saturation (SpO2) during one session of EMST in healthy, young adults were examined. 31 participants completed 25 trials of the EMST device in a single session. For comparison, Valsalva maneuvers were completed at the beginning and end of EMST trials. SBP, DBP, HR, and SpO2 were recorded at baseline and after completion of the Valsalva maneuver, 12 trials using the EMST device, 13 trials using the EMST device, and 5 min of rest following the EMST session. The findings of this study indicated no significant changes in SBP, DBP, HR, or SpO2 during or after EMST trials or completion of the Valsalva maneuver. This study suggests that EMST does not result in significant fluctuations of blood pressure, HR, and SpO2 in healthy young adults. “This outcome supports the hypothesis that EMST would not induce major fluctuations in cardiovascular response primarily because of the brief and repetitive expiratory effort durations of the task. Even though a high expiratory pressure is generated to open the valve within the device, the duration of that pressure generation is on the order of 1.25 s. This duration is substantially less than a typical Valsalva maneuver.” Interested in learning more? Check out the study cited in this post!

Our most recent TIMS Users Group Session, "Building Better Tools: A History of Collaboration in Swallowing Diagnostics" is now available! In this session, we explored the impactful partnership between TIMS Medical and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Topics included analysis methods, tools refined through SLP feedback, our commitment to advancing graduate school programs, and more. Check out the full replay here: https://lnkd.in/gB4C8nTV

Our team is dedicated to improving patient outcomes, which is why we were honored for the opportunity to collaborate with the healthcare professionals at City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, CA. This incredible team is committed to providing innovative, compassionate care to people throughout the state. Their focus on person-centered care and breakthrough research was evident during our work together. As demonstrated in this photo, the team at City of Hope Medical Center has added TIMS MVP software and mobile cart to their radiology suite for use in conjunction with their Siemens Luminos Agile Max. We extend our immense gratitude to the team at City of Hope Medical Center, and to our partners at Siemens Healthineers! #TIMSMVP #PACS #VNA