Affiliation:
1. Division of Laryngology, Department of Otolaryngology‐Head & Neck Surgery Medical University of South Carolina Charleston South Carolina U.S.A.
Abstract
ObjectiveCare of patients with dysphagia occurs at the intersection of several different medical specialties. Otolaryngologists are uniquely equipped to diagnose dysphagia given their specialized training, yet the extent to which otolaryngologists perform diagnostic procedures for dysphagia is unknown. The objective of this study was to characterize the specialty‐level variation among providers performing diagnostic assessments for dysphagia.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, cross‐sectional analysis of dysphagia care utilization among Medicare beneficiaries from 2013 to 2021 using the CMS Physician & Other Practitioners by Provider and Service dataset. American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) data reports were used to determine the total number of providers per specialty. For each procedure and specialty, the percentage of providers performing >10 procedures annually and the average annual number of procedures per performing provider (non‐radiology) were calculated.ResultsWe analyzed nine common dysphagia diagnostic procedures, including manometry, 24‐h pH testing, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), and modified barium swallow study (MBSS). Mean 3.7 (SD 1.4) otolaryngologists (0.04% of practicing) performed manometry testing annually, compared to 493 (69.3) gastroenterologists (3.3%). Less than 1% of practicing otolaryngologists (37.8 (8.0) (0.04%)) and gastroenterologists (51.6 (8.4), 0.35%) performed 24‐h pH testing annually. FEES testing was most commonly performed by otolaryngologists; however, only 48 (6.3) providers (0.51% of practicing) performed these procedures annually. For MBSS, fewer otolaryngologists (5.2 (1.0), 0.05%) perform these assessments than other medical specialties. Each otolaryngologist performed 110.7 (52.5) studies annually, compared to 200.1 (68.0) per gastroenterologist.ConclusionOtolaryngologists represent a small fraction of providers performing dysphagia‐related diagnostic procedures despite a unique training within our specialty to comprehensively diagnose and manage this condition.Level of Evidence3 Laryngoscope, 134:3698–3705, 2024
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