Speech, Swallowing, & Voice Specialists of Hawaii
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BENEFITS OF FEES
A picture is worth a thousand words!
Above is a side by side comparison view of a MBSS/Modified Barium Swallow Study (on the left) and a FEES/Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (on the right) on the same patient at the same time.
Currently there are only 2 options for an instrumental swallow assessment:
FEES or MBSS.
So which do I choose???
Below are some of the benefits of choosing FEES!
Clinical Benefits
Procedure performed in patient's current environment
Able to assess medically fragile or difficult to assess patients (i.e.; bariatric, ventilators, pressure ulcers, dementia, isolation)
Limits exposure to community infections (i.e.; COVID)
Higher sensitivity to pharyngeal residue than Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)
No barium tainted food
No radiation exposure
Staff/caregiver allowed to be present
Direct visualization of laryngeal/pharyngeal cavities
Able to assess secretion management
Able to test ability to swallow medications
Able to test in natural eating position/posture
Able to assess a variety of compensatory strategies
Digital recording of procedure for future comparison
Time Benefits
Scheduled typically within 24-48 hours unlike weeks/months with a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)
Typically only takes 10-15 minutes; no more long trips to the hospital and long hours in the waiting room
Report is provided the same day; no more waiting weeks for results
Get answers the same day which means you or your loved one begins eating or upgrading diets sooner
With more accurate and timely assessments, you are able to reach positive outcomes faster when you know for sure
Financial Benefits
Typically a third of the cost of a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)
No transportation costs
No accompanying companion/staff costs
Decreases cost associated with pneumonia and other illnesses complicated by dysphagia
Decreases cost of unnecessary thickened liquids
Helps reduces re-hospitalizations
Decreases costs of unnecessary tube feedings