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
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Able to assess a variety of compensatory strategies
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Digital recording of procedure for future comparison
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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
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Financial Benefits
Typically a third of the cost of a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)
No transportation costs
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No accompanying companion/staff costs
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Decreases cost associated with pneumonia and other illnesses complicated by dysphagia
Decreases cost of unnecessary thickened liquids
Helps reduces re-hospitalizations
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Decreases costs of unnecessary tube feedings
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