Q. In the event a patient fails the bedside  swallow screen evaluation and is ordered NPO pending speech therapy (assume the patient arrived on a Friday afternoon) would a barium swallow study suffice for evaluation of swallow until a formal swallow study could be performed on Monday by speech therapy?  Is the organization required to have 24/7 coverage by speech therapy?

A. It is up to the organization to determine how it would cover services 24/7 and whether a barium swallow study or other assessment (bedside exam by a trained staff, simple water swallow test, Burke water swallow test, SSA, etc.,) is appropriate.