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Audrey Walstrom, DMA, MA, CCC-SLP, a Clinical Singing Voice Specialist and Speech-Language Pathologist at Duke Health, partnered with East Carolina University (ECU) to discuss singing voice health and the care offered at Duke.

An innovative, data-driven approach to tracking, monitoring and improving surgical outcomes has changed how Duke Health’s head and neck surgeons define quality and safety success in surgery. Traditionally, quality improvement and patient safety processes in surgical specialties are reactive, according to Jeffrey Cheng, M.D., medical director of Quality and Safety for the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences.

Nathan G. Sattah (MS3), an MD Candidate at Duke University School of Medicine and Community Outreach Coordinator for the ENT interest group, participated in the Duke BOOST Science Saturdays event on October 12th.

Two of the state’s private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are partnering with Duke University to increase representation in the medical field.

“Early intervention is important, especially for patients who expect to have bilateral radiation of the neck,” says Mindi Ramsey, M.A., CCC-SLP, a senior speech-language pathologist at Duke Voice Care Center, which is imbedded in the Department of Head and Neck Cancer and Communication Sciences. “We really try to evaluate them right after diagnosis to establish a baseline of their function before treatment starts.”

Meredith Dickens, M.S., CCC-SLP from Duke University Hospital, participated in the Alumni Career Fair at Western Harnett High School in Lillington, NC, located in Harnett County.

Acoustic neuromas (also known as vestibular schwannomas) are a noncancerous type of skull base tumor, which grow just below the brain. More specifically, acoustic neuromas form on the vestibulocochlear nerve that controls balance and hearing. While removing these tumors can completely cure symptoms, their location is highly sensitive and requires an expert surgical approach. Here, Duke Health specialists discuss what you should expect if you need acoustic neuroma surgery.

Annika Wilson, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Audrey Walstom, DMA, MA, CCC-SLP, represented Duke Voice Care Center at two pride events this fall, showcasing the gender-affirming services offered by Duke Health.

The Skull Base Center at Duke Health combines comprehensive care, elite surgical skills, and advanced treatments for skull base conditions, resulting in positive outcomes. Integrating research into clinical care refines patient management and drives advancements, ensuring patients benefit from the latest innovations.

Andy Torres was a toddler when he was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing aids and speech therapy helped Andy learn to communicate, but his hearing and speech progress plateaued as he approached adolescence. After receiving a cochlear implant -- a surgically implanted device that delivers sound by directly stimulating the auditory nerve -- at Duke Health, Andy now hears high-frequency sounds he couldn’t hear before, he can better understand conversation, and he’s performing better in school. “Whatever we can do to improve his life, we will do it,” Andy’s dad Serguei Torres said. “That's why we said yes to the cochlear implant.”