Computer-assisted documentation of the fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing.
BACKGROUND
Because documentation and report writing in fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is time consuming and susceptible to omissions, a software solution to ameliorate these problems by maintaining document quality is desirable.


METHODS
Based on the FEES procedure of Langmore, a documentation software (DS) which presents a digitized FEES recording and masks with precast text fields was designed to facilitate and unify data input. The oropharyngeal secretion scale of Murray and the penetration-aspiration scale of Rosenbek were integrated to increase comparability of dysphagia information. Four independent examiners analyzed 12 digitized FEES-recordings, 6 without and 6 with the DS, to determine its effect on the times needed for total evaluation, interpretation, documentation, report writing, and report completeness.


RESULTS
The documentation software (DS) reduced the total evaluation time from 42 min to 18 min and increased the evaluation completeness from 55% to 95%, both with very large effect sizes. The time saving was mainly due to an automated report generation at the end of the analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
The DS can be offered as a valuable and effective tool in daily clinical routine and for research purposes.
Hey
Christiane
C
Department of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, University of Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt/M, Germany. Christiane.Hey@kgu.de
Sader
Robert A
RA
Belogradski
Dmitri
D
Pluschinski
Petra
P
Stanschus
Soenke
S
Euler
Harald A
HA
Neumann
Katrin
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D004282:Documentation / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors