Dysphagia typically refers to difficulty in eating as a result of disruption in the swallowing process. Dysphagia can be a serious threat to one’s health because of the risk of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, weight loss, and airway obstruction. The signs of swallowing difficulties may include:

• Coughing during or right after eating and drinking
• Extra time or effort needed to chew or swallow
• Food or liquid leaking from the mouth
• Change in your voice after eating or drinking such as a gurgling sound
• Weight loss or dehydration due to problems eating or chewing your food

Specialty Services

Technologies Involved

Videofluoroscopy A special X-Ray test used in swallowing studies is accepted as the standard for detecting and evaluating swallowing abnormalities. This method not only allows estimation of risks of aspiration and respiratory complications but also helps in determining dietary and compensatory strategies.

VitalStim? The VitalStim? Therapy System is an adjunctive modality to traditional exercise that unites the power of electrical stimulation with the benefits of swallowing exercises. Combining VitalStim and traditional therapy allows clinicians to accelerate strengthening, restore function, and help the brain remap the swallow. Research has demonstrated that combining these therapies results in better outcomes than using either one alone.

Experia Experia works with VitalStim? Therapy to help patients learn to swallow again. The highly customizable treatment provides visual and auditory biofeedback during swallowing for objective measurement of effortful swallows. Experia establishes a baseline measurement of muscle activity, setting treatment targets. During therapy, electrical stimulation to the target muscle group is activated by the patient?s effort, creating a powerful reward-based biofeedback loop.

Continuum of Care

To provide the best care possible for patients recovering from a debilitating condition or injury, Allied Services provides a comprehensive, seamless continuum of rehabilitative care. Our outpatient programs are primarily for people living safely at home who have completed or did not require a post-acute inpatient stay, but require additional rehabilitative therapy to alleviate physical limitation or pain.

If a patient suffering from a debilitating condition or injury requires intensive, around-the-clock nursing and/or therapy services, but cannot tolerate or does not require the intensity of therapy delivered during an inpatient rehab hospital stay, or their insurance does not cover inpatient rehabilitation, they would be an appropriate candidate for a transitional or long-term stay at our skilled nursing facility. Conversely, if the patient requires 24-hour care and can tolerate the intensity of a stay at one of our rehabilitation hospitals, they would be best suited for a stay at one of our inpatient facilities.

Patient Outcomes

At Allied Services, patient outcome metrics such as average number of visits, pain reduction, reduced function limitation, and likelyhood of recommending Allied Services to others, are among the best in the United States:

• 98% of our outpatient population reported that their overall rating of care received was either good or very good.
• 97% of our outpatient population reported that they would recommend out services to others.
• 93% of our outpatient population reported that they either had no pain or a decrease in their pain during their treatment.

Our rehabilitation facilities regularly outperform other rehabilitation providers nationwide. According to statistics compiled by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, Allied Services ranks in the top 4% of 892 rehabilitation centers in the United States.

Referrals & Insurance

Patients need a prescription from their doctor in order to enroll in the swallowing program at Allied Rehab and Heinz Rehab. Insurance coverage for this program is provided by most health insurance policies. For specific questions on how to obtain a referral or health insurance coverage, please call (570) 826-3900 (Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding areas) or (570) 348-1360 (Scranton and the surrounding areas).