What is telepractice?
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) defines telepractice as "the application of telecommunications technology to delivery of speech language pathology and audiology professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client, or clinician to clinician, for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation." This service delivery model is supported by the Washington State Hearing & Speech licensing board and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Telepractice is viewed as a mode of delivery of health care services, not a separate form of practice. There are no legal prohibitions to using technology in the practice of speech language pathology and audiology, as long as the practice is done by a Washington State licensed practitioner. All of our clinical supervisors are state licensed and ASHA certified. The standard of care is the same whether the patient is seen in-person, through telehealth (telepractice), or by other methods of electronically enabled health care.
The UW Speech & Hearing Clinic offers telepractice speech, language, and audiology services through the live interactive, HIPAA-compliant version of the video conferencing platform Zoom. Clients connect for their session over the internet by going to zoom.us online and entering the meeting ID provided to them by their clinician. Once the clinician is online, the clinician and the client will then be able to see and hear each other in real time. Just as with in-person sessions, telepractice sessions will be conducted by a graduate student clinician and will be supervised by a state-licensed, ASHA-certified speech/language pathologist or audiologist. There may be more than one graduate student clinician participating in the telepractice session. The clinician is able to perform diagnostic assessments and provide treatment via telepractice. The UW Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Zoom incorporates software security measures that meet HIPAA standards and provide the client with a secure and confidential online videoconferencing session.
What telepractice services are available?
- Speech and Language services
- Online telepractice therapy and evaluation services are being offered at this time. If you are a new client, please complete the appropriate application:
- Adult Speech Application
- Child Speech Application
- Voice patients must also fill out a Voice Intake Form
- Online telepractice therapy and evaluation services are being offered at this time. If you are a new client, please complete the appropriate application:
- Audiology services
- Our audiologists continue to provide services. Except for scheduled appointment times, the clinic is closed to the public, and we are not able to see walk-in patients at this time.
- Online telepractice therapy and evaluation services are being offered to help troubleshoot problems you may be having with your hearing aid.
- If you are an existing patient, please call 206-543-5440 to schedule an appointment.
- If you are a new client, please complete and return our Audiology Application.