The Med SLP Maze: How are patients get lost in healthcare silos

As a med SLP, have you ever felt like you're constantly trying to piece together a puzzle, but half the pieces are missing, and the other half belong to a different box entirely? Or perhaps you're pulling on one end of a rope, and other interdisciplinary team members (IDT) are pulling on the other, creating a tug-of-war instead of a cohesive effort? This is the reality of working in the healthcare industry, which can feel more like a series of isolated silos than an integrated team.

Healthcare silos are essentially the fragmentation of information, services, and communication across different departments, providers, and systems within our vast healthcare landscape. It’s hard to navigate and easy to get lost in. The fragmentation causes a huge barrier to the high-quality care we crave for our patients and instead leads to a myriad of negative outcomes for patients (and for SLPs, too). 

Lost in translation

Imagine a patient's medical story scattered across different libraries. SLPs are stationed in one of those libraries. Look around you and you’ll see endless rows filled from the bottom to the tippy top with research: Current and past textbooks, journal articles, and lectures. It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Yes, of course it is, but there’s a problem. Only SLPs have the key to this library. There are over 100 libraries within our little community. Cardiologists are in one, pulmonologists in another, and ENTs in yet another. We have gastroenterologists in the library next door and infectious disease specialists across town. We think the problem is not having enough information, but the problem is actually the opposite. We don’t know how to fully comprehend and integrate the information we do have. Alanis Morissette said it best: “It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife to cut all that information up and put it back together with a fully integrated team.” Ok, I may have modified that quote a bit, but you get the point.

What does the problem mean for SLPs and the IDT?

This fragmented system means many of us understand tiny parts of the patient really well. But nobody understands the whole thing. Picture a game of telephone where each member of the interdisciplinary team whispers something into the next person’s ear until the person at the end says something that bears no resemblance to the original message. But it's even worse than that. Because most of the time, we’re not talking at all. It’s just a room full of interdisciplinary team members typing on their computers, charting in a language nobody else understands, and letting the telephones hang off the hooks.

What’s the impact?

This lack of a unified view increases the risk of errors, delays in diagnosis and treatment, and even misdiagnosis, as the full picture, including patient history, cannot be readily assembled. The result is often disorganized and inadequate patient care. 

When departments don't communicate effectively, patients can feel lost in the chaos, experiencing disjointed and delayed care. This poor coordination is especially challenging for patients with chronic diseases who see multiple specialists, often resulting in inconsistent care plans. If healthcare is a pinball machine, the patient is the ball. The worst part is that this population of patients with high levels of medical complexity is only growing. The opportunity for error in these situations is virtually endless. 

This can spiral into serious issues like polypharmacy, where patients take five or more medications, significantly increasing risks of adverse drug reactions or falls. It also leads to duplicate or excess testing, as one provider might repeat tests already performed elsewhere (I’m sure you’ve seen this with instrumental swallow studies). If a patient is transferred or seeks care in a different area, their records might not follow easily. The nearby hospitals in my area likely considered taking a restraining order out against me due to what can only be referred to as “excessive” phone calls and emails to request this information. 

Show me the money

Beyond the direct impact on patient care, these inefficiencies come with a hefty price tag. This fragmented care is directly linked to higher medical costs. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Data silos are synonymous with inefficiency and avoidable errors. How much could we save if we integrated these silos? A lot. More exactly? Hundreds of billions of dollars. Yes, a number so big it makes the brain twist into a pretzel just trying to make sense of it. 

Breaking Down the Walls for Better Care

The image of healthcare as a maze, with patients as pinballs bouncing between disconnected departments, is a stark one. These "silos" of information and communication aren't just frustrating; they actively hinder our ability to provide the high-quality, patient-centered care we ALL strive for. From increased medical errors and delayed diagnoses to wasted resources and financial burdens, the consequences are profound.

As Med SLPs, we are uniquely positioned to be advocates for change. We witness firsthand the impact of fragmented care on our patients' daily lives. By understanding the systemic issues, we can promote better integration, advocate for clearer communication protocols, and support technology that truly connects, rather than isolates. It won't be easy – breaking down long-standing walls rarely is. But by working together, across our "libraries" and specialties, we can transform the healthcare maze into a collaborative landscape, ensuring our patients no longer get lost along the way.

Question for you: What's one practical step you, as a healthcare professional, can take this week to help break down a silo in your own workplace and ensure better, more connected care for your patients? Comment below!

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