Special Considerations for Screening and Referral for Voice and Swallowing conditions for US Military Populations

This presentation will provide a review of the needs, medical conditions, and clinical processes related to outpatient care for voice and swallowing disorders in US Military Veterans. Literature review, case examples, and evidence-based protocols will be shared from the work of the Speech Language Pathology (SLP) Program at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health. SLPs play a key role in education and identification of this group of conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), vocal cord dysfunction, chronic cough, muscular dyspnea, and mild swallowing complaints. Key clinical considerations, accessible screening tools (Reflux Symptom Index, interview prompts), and relevant clinical education (medical history red flags, combat exposures, respiratory and swallowing physiology) will benefit community members and other health providers managing complex medical conditions.