OBJECTIVES: Flexible reusable (RU) rhinolaryngoscopes used for flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) require multiple pieces of equipment which may be stationary and unable to be easily transported. FEES and rhinolaryngoscopy can be ordered at any time across a hospital, meaning this equipment needs to be readily available and mobile. The Ambu aScope 4 RhinoLaryngo is a disposable flexible rhinolaryngoscope with a portable monitor, able to be easily transported between locations. This study sought to evaluate the performance of a SU rhinolaryngoscope system for FEES exams and how it impacts the workflow and delivery of patient care.

METHODS: A survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) at a large community-based hospital that introduced a hybrid endoscope model utilizing the Ambu aScope 4 RhinoLaryngo platform into their speech rehabilitation department in December of 2022.

RESULTS: A total of 14 certified SLPs completed the survey. When considering questions related to availability, a majority of respondents (79%) indicated they encountered scope availability issues with RU scopes, with 36% of respondents noting daily issues. By introducing SU scopes for FEES exams, 71% of respondents indicated they can spend more time on direct patient care or billable tasks. Furthermore, more than half of respondents (57%) noted that utilizing SU has made the time to determine an appropriate medication route to be faster than with RU, with 100% of SLPs noting that SU scopes have made the time to treatment faster or much faster. When considering all rhinolaryngoscopy procedure types (not only FEES), the SU scope and RU scope were rated similarly (SU=3.9/5, RU=4.1/5, where 3=satisfactory, 5=excellent).

CONCLUSIONS: SU rhinolaryngoscopes eliminate availability concerns caused by repairs and reprocessing turnaround with RU scopes. Utilizing SU rhinolaryngoscopes for FEES exams enabled SLPs at this single-center study to dedicate more time to direct patient care.