Speak Out, Stay Current, Say Health Care Speakers in Vegas

Abstract

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 Jun 2014Speak Out, Stay Current, Say Health Care Speakers in Vegas Gary DunhamPhD Gary Dunham Google Scholar More articles by this author , PhD https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN1.19062014.58 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In “Assert yourself,” well-known executive coach Linda Talley urged hundreds of communication sciences and disorders professionals in the opening plenary of the recent ASHA Health Care & Business Institute, outside of Las Vegas. “Every day you have the opportunity to emerge as a leader!” A near-record-breaking crowd heard Talley’s exhortation loud and clear, expanding their professional knowledge and skills portfolios for three days through dozens of information-jammed sessions. There were so many choices: how to build and manage a business effectively; how to promote yourself and your practice; the latest developments in assessing and treating adult neurogenic, swallowing and pediatric communication disorders; and crucial advice for thriving in the dramatically shifting health care landscape. And so much was new: more talks than ever, a poster session, and the well-received “Plus” option for earning CEUs through recordings of all the sessions. And let’s not forget the dynamic closing session, in which speakers ignited Great Ideas by rapid-firing 20 slides and their own ideas for five minutes each. Of note were energetic, packed sessions led by entrepreneur Adele Cehrs, who candidly shared 10 strategies for gaining recognition and influence, and building a successful business: Become a known entity. Positioning is the art of sacrifice (that is, keep a specialized market focus). Don’t reinvent the wheel. Listen carefully. Respect your own authority. Be firm on price. Understand what you don’t want. Hire slow and fire fast. People will show you who you are. Follow your instincts. Linda Talley also helped prepare current and future CSD business leaders by demonstrating how nonverbal gestures reinforce one’s professional authority in meetings with colleagues and clients—hey, don’t underestimate the power of certain types of handshakes or where you sit! In another well-attended session, business communication consultant Everett Leiter looked at the ways in which one’s use of mainstream versus less mainstream English directly affects how a speech-language pathologist or audiologist is perceived in the workplace. Dialects are powerful indicators of status and authority; don’t automatically jettison your native variety of English, he quickly added, but be well aware of its effects on your professional reputation. Participants jammed sessions covering the latest advances in assessment and treatment from the clinical frontlines. In two let’s-sit-on-the-floor-because-no-empty-chairs-are-left-but-geesh-I-just-can’t-miss-it sessions on aphasia, Audrey Holland repeatedly touched upon the emotional heart of aphasia treatment, counseling: “Don’t focus on impairment, focus on participation in life.” Holland, Regents’ Professor Emerita of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona, was introduced as the “grand dame of functional communication” by Howard Goldstein, ASHA vice president for science and research. Indeed, Holland’s legacy was on full display at the HCBI through her former students. University of South Florida Professor Michelle Bourgeois conducted two sessions on assessment and treatment strategies for dementia, and spoke of the evolution of memory books and wallets into today’s visual cueing approach. University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Lyn Turkstra presented twice on treating clients affected by brain injury. When it comes to computer-based cognitive rehabilitation for adults with brain injury, she emphasizes that the “active ingredient” will always be the clinician. Finally, the HCBI offered two sessions on preparing one’s program and practice to thrive under the Affordable Health Care Act. Ann Kummer, senior director of speech-language pathology at Cincinnati Children’s, outlined the building blocks for success under the Accountable Care Act—chief among them, she said, is practicing at the top of the license. Far too eager to learn in sessions than to be lured by the slot machines chiming on the second floor, the hundreds of attendees at the ASHA Health Care & Business Institute came away informed about many key developments in assessment and treatment, and prepared for the everyday of practice and the many changes in health care affecting all of us. Next year’s HCBI is in Phoenix. You’ll be there, right? Author Notes Gary Dunham, PhD, is ASHA publications director and ASHA Leader editor-in-chief. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 19Issue 6June 2014 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Jun 1, 2014 Metrics Downloaded 60 times Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagleader-topicsasha-article-typesCopyright & Permissions© 2014 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...