Jacob Foster’s Post

I’m fairly new to working in the NDIS space, and while I’m still learning all of the nuances, I think I can fairly confidently say that this decision will result in poorer services for participants, leading to poorer outcomes, ultimately costing the government more money. The wage that businesses can pay their employees is capped by this hourly rate. Allied Health practitioners may leave the industry to secure employment in (ironically) other government funded roles where there are guaranteed automatic incremental annual pay increases, thus reducing the workforce and availability of services. This results in a reduced workforce to support participants, leading to poorer outcomes. It has already become unsustainable for some businesses to keep operating. Luckily, people much smarter than me are in the position to make decisions that keep businesses running, but I can only imagine the immense challenge, stress and burden of responsibility that comes along with this. I do hope that soon, those making decisions about the NDIA actually listen.

Our friend, colleague, and #SLPhD scholar Joanne Walters is surveying Australian Speech Paths about their #Telesupervision experiences. Did you use this method of supervising students online during #Covid19 lockdowns? Or since then? We’d love to know more! How did it go? Link to short survey is here https://lnkd.in/g5St5e-T — thanks in advance!

Speech Pathology Australia is deeply disappointed there has been no change to the pricing for therapy supports in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits for 2024-25 released by the NDIA today. Their decision to maintain stagnant pricing for therapy supports, including speech pathology, for the fifth consecutive year is both frustrating and untenable. In contrast, the price for nursing and psychology supports has been increased, highlighting a glaring inconsistency in the treatment of allied health professions. The NDIA's rationale, based on the increased cost of living and wages, ignores clear evidence that speech pathologists are also facing the same economic pressures. During the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS hearing today, we raised this very issue, that 40% of our members, who are NDIS providers, report the current pricing limit does not cover the cost of service. As the costs of delivering these services continue to rise, speech pathology providers are struggling to maintain the same level of care for their clients within current pricing structures. Fair pricing is urgently needed to ensure that services remain sustainable to allow our members to continue supporting those with communication and swallowing needs in their communities. We urge the NDIA to reconsider its decision and urgently implement a fair pricing structure that reflects the true costs of providing speech pathology services. Jodie Long CEO, Speech Pathology Australia

𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 The newly introduced Strengthening the Medical Examiner and Coroner System Act is putting a much-needed spotlight on the alarming shortage of forensic pathologists across the United States. Here are some key points: - We currently have only around 800 practicing forensic pathologists nationwide to serve a population of over 330 million people. - Experts estimate we need between 1,500-1,800 forensic pathologists to provide adequate coverage and meet demand. For those working in healthcare and adjacent fields, the impacts of this shortage are all too familiar. Overloaded medical examiner offices dealing with scarce forensic pathology resources have led to significant delays in death investigations, autopsies, and reporting of crucial findings. In my own interactions with medical examiners and public health authorities, I've witnessed how this backlog can hinder their ability to identify critical patterns, provide timely closure to families, and respond effectively to emerging crises. The proposed legislation takes some positive steps along the lines of: - Incentivizing medical graduates to specialize in forensic pathology through fellowships - Boosting support for accredited training programs - Growing the ranks of medicolegal death investigators While these measures could provide reinforcements to an overstretched system in the short-term, I'm curious if they go far enough to create lasting solutions. One other way to alleviate the situation is to deploy medical record reviews, in my opinion. As medical examiners also have to create reports, these can be beneficial for them to utilize their time more productively. But as far as the Act is considered, do you think its approach of incentives and expanded training goes far enough? Or are more systemic reforms required to make forensic pathology a viable long-term career choice, thereby addressing the current shortage? What other challenges do you foresee? Do share your thoughts below! Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/d3P98xgH #medicalexaminers #shortage #newbill #pathology #medicalrecordreview #inscribe

Unlock the power of communication! Pursue a Bachelor's in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (BASLP) at the Autonomous Institute of Health Sciences. Become a specialist in diagnosing and treating speech and hearing disorders. Join us in making a difference, one voice at a time. #BASLP #SpeechPathology #HearingDisorders #HealthcareEducation

Leading a successful anatomical pathology lab aligns with the principles and recommendations outlined by CAP. CAP provides comprehensive guidelines and accreditation standards for pathology laboratories to ensure the highest quality of diagnostic services. A successful leader in an anatomical pathology lab would adhere to CAP guidelines by implementing robust quality control measures, maintaining accurate documentation, and participating in proficiency testing programs. They would prioritize continuous education and training for staff to stay updated with CAP's evolving standards and best practices. By following CAP guidelines, the leader would ensure that the lab operates in compliance with regulatory requirements, resulting in accurate and reliable diagnostic reports. Furthermore, effective communication and collaboration with clinicians, as encouraged by CAP, would enhance patient care outcomes by facilitating interdisciplinary discussions and providing valuable insights for treatment decisions. Overall, aligning with CAP guidelines is vital for a successful leader in an anatomical pathology lab to maintain the highest standards of quality and patient safety. College of American Pathologists (CAP) #pathology #leaders #success #pathologylab #pathologist

Kaleb Abbott, OD, MS, FAAO, (of University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) discusses strategies for mitigating #DryEye while treating patients with #Glaucoma. 👀 #DryEye in #Glaucoma has created a conundrum for clinicians who attempt to manage their patients’ #IntraocularPressure (IOP) while simultaneously limiting #OcularSurfaceDisease. 👁️🗨️ #Glaucoma — a group of progressive #OpticNeuropathies characterized by retinal #GanglionCellLoss and #IOP sensitivity — stands as the foremost cause of irreversible blindness, and its prevalence is on the rise.1 🌍 Globally, it affects approximately 4% of individuals between the ages of 40 and 80, and up to 10% of the population 80 years and older.1,2 Despite projections predicting 112 million cases by 2040, it is still vastly underdiagnosed, with 50% to 90% of cases going unrecognized.3,4 Read here: https://brnw.ch/21wI8ti #Optometry #Optometrist #Retina #GlaucomaAwareness #EyeHealth #EyeCare #GlaucomaManagement #EyeDrops #DryEyeDisease #DED #OcularSurface #POAG #GlaucomaEyeDrops #PerioribitalTissue #BAK

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 🏥 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧)?  Thank you to **𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀𝑶𝑵𝑬** (all 400+ healthcare professionals 😆 ) who registered to be part of our 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 from a huge range of subspecialties spanning radiology, orthopaedics, emergency medicine, paediatrics and more! (see prior post: https://lnkd.in/geE5cP56) Expressions of interest to take part as a reader are now closed. ⛔ Our first study round will commence shortly. 💻 All registrants will shortly be receiving an email with further details. 📃 Out of interest... when asking our registrants who they thought AI assistance would be most helpful for - the vast majority were torn between saying: 🌟 'anyone who wasn't a radiologist' versus 🌟 'everyone, no matter their specialty' 😜 (caveat: most registrants were radiologists so a bit of a bias there...) But still interesting and the proof will be within the evidence we subsequently generate through this study... Hold tight and wait and see what we find ...! Kanthan Theivendran Sarim Ather Alex Novak Nick Woznitza MBE Jeanne Ventre Daniel F Jones Cato Pauling @Emma Allan @Emily Ashworth @Saira Haque @Joy Barber

Why are home programs such an important part of an intervention strategy? Check out this post from Sarah Coventry and share with your customer! #speechpathology #homeprograms #ndisregisteredprovider #intervention #alliedhealth #paediatrics #ECEI #capacitybuilding

Counsel for different medics may provide perspectives where there is disagreement on the treatment of a patient, attracting a defence for malpractice claims. Variations in medical practice are also facts that should be permitted by the courts as long as a reputable medical rationale supports them. Example: Many patients with backache visit two treatment specialists: The first doctor opts for an operation, while the second offers outpatient therapy. If the patient chooses surgery and develops complications during the procedure, the courts could find the decision justifiable if supported by medical evidence. #MedicalMalpractice #LegalDefence #HealthcareLaw #MedicalEvidence #CourtRulings #StandardOfCare #MedicalRationale