For a patient suffering from a life-threatening illness like COVID-19, communication means everything. If that person is on a ventilator and no visitors are allowed in the room, doctors and nurses must rely on tools and technology to communicate.
Sarah Marshall, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in the Waisman Center Communication Aids and Systems Clinic (CASC), has been working with an international task force of SLPs, researchers and engineers to develop a series of communication tools and trainings for patients with COVID-19 who are unable to communicate secondary to intubation. CASC is one of 10 specialty clinics at the Waisman Center and specializes in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
The Patient Provider Communication Task Force, in conjunction with the United States Society of AAC, has worked to develop a series of free communication supports for patients on ventilators due to COVID19. Learn more about the task force and view other resources here: https://www.patientprovidercommunication.org/supporting-communication-covid-19.htm
The work of Sarah Marshall, SLP and the PPC Task Force were featured on WKOW TV 27 on April 1st. View the story here: https://wkow.com/2020/04/01/task-force-offers-tools-allowing-patients-on-ventilators-to-communicate/