You asked for a way to learn how to perform FEES remotely from anywhere in the world and we answered! Performing a FEES procedure is a complex process that involves a myriad of skills in order to not only manipulate the endoscope with finesse, but to understand the relationship between the Five Systems of Dysphagia (muscular, neurological, respiratory, cognitive, and gastrointestinal) and positive patient outcomes.
Understanding that we all come to the table with a different set of experiences, FEESTraining.com, in conjunction with Dysphagia Management Systems and SwallowSafe.com has put together different levels of training, depending on your desired outcome.
After many inquiries, we have decided to rent out our training boxes for those of you that have some FEES training but wish to refine your eye-hand coordination and expert movement of the endoscope.
We have put together four packages of learning opportunities, offering ASHA CEUs should you wish to receive them.
Package 1 is a basic intro to FEES (8 hours, .8 ASHA CEU)
Package 2 is the business entrepreneur intro to a mobile FEES business (4 hours, .4 ASHA CEU)
Package 3 is an intermediate FEES educational offering (19 hours, 1.9 ASHA CEU)
Package 4 is our most comprehensive FEES offering for those who wish to go as far as possible toward clinical privileging (27 hours, 2.7 ASHA CEU).
We are also offering an additional one hour personal Q & A with founder and president of DMS, Carol G Winchester, MS-SLP CCC. With her decades of experience in developing and running the business, this follow-up to your educational package can further your chances of success, get those lingering questions answered, or help you decide what your next step options are.
Online Offerings
Rent the FEES Training Boxes
The FEES Training boxes were developed as a tool to establish the eye-hand coordination necessary to become proficient at performing an endoscopy. The upper boxes mimic a normal unobstructed nose, a narrow pharynx, an obstructed floor of the nose, a large base of tongue, a broken nose, and a patient with a forward contracture. The lower boxes mimic random nasal patterns seen in patients while performing FEES. There are black pins in the channels. The goal is to aim the endoscope to the pins and then move to the next. This provides the path necessary to navigate this type of patient in real-time. Learning to move the endoscope tip where you want it to goal is key to becoming proficient. The training box rental is intended for those who are not sure that they have the eye-hand coordination to perform FEES and for the individual who wants to scope hundreds of times in order to establish the muscle memory necessary to perform FEES with precision.
The trainee must have access to FEES Equipment in order to explore this option as a scope, camera and monitor are necessary.
Included: How to Scope For Fees online video
COMING SOON
Package 1: Basic Intro to FEES
8 hours of courses + PDF Companion Guides
ASHA CEU Available: 0.8
Prerequisites: This training assumes a basic understanding of FEES. The participant may have attended a CEU course or online course on FEES and understands the practical application of this technique for diagnostic swallowing instrumentation.
What Makes This Course Different? DMS focuses on introducing the participant to the anatomy, both normal and abnormal, and an understanding of what it takes to not only pass the scope, but to understand what you are seeing. Knowing how to react to what you are seeing is the most important part of performing FEES as your recommendations can take the patient in a positive or negative direction. This course is an introduction to setting the groundwork for becoming a FEES specialist.
This course is intended for the professional who wants an introduction to FEES. The courses included in this basic online educational offering include:
What is Dysphagia: Intro to the Five Systems – 6 min
Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy – 2 Hrs
Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy Identification Practice – 1 Hr
How to Scope: The 5 Systems Necessary for Success – 1 Hr
Positioning for FEES in All Settings – 1 Hr
Dysphagia Risk Predicting and Establishing the need for an Instrumentation: Using the SwallowSafe.com Tools – 1 Hr
Contraindications & Adverse Reactions in Performing FEES: What Can Go Wrong IF? – 1 Hr
Course Completion Live Zoom – 1 Hr
PRICE: $300
Package 2 Basic Business Entrepreneur Intro to a Mobile FEES Business
4 hours online
ASHA CEUs Available: 0.4
Having invented the concept of Mobile FEES, I had to learn as I went. I made mistakes, learned from others’ mistakes, and have successfully navigated the healthcare climate for more than 32 years as a business owner and provider of FEES. Figuring out how, which areas of healthcare, and when is a good time to launch your business, is vital to success. This 3 Hour course takes you through the options and introduces you to topics to consider in choosing your direction. A personalized conversation with Carol Winchester to get your questions answered following the 3-hour presentation can be scheduled for an additional fee. Take advantage of this offering while it is still available!
Courses Included:
Business Metrics of a Mobile FEES Company – 3 Hr
Course Completion Live Zoom – 1 Hr
4-hour online course – $400.00
Package 3: Intermediate FEES Educational Offering
19 Hours of Courses + Select Companion Guides
ASHA CEU Available: 1.9
Prerequisites: This training assumes a basic understanding of FEES. The participant may have attended a CEU course or online course on FEES and understands the practical application of this technique for diagnostic swallowing instrumentation. The participant should take the courses in the order presented as this course is intended to build a deeper learning experience by laying the groundwork for identifying those patients who may be appropriate for FEES, and establishing the medical necessity for successful performance and payment.
What Makes This Course Different? In addition to an introduction to FEES as a procedure, this course goes deep into all Five Systems of Dysphagia as understanding how to break apart the swallow, identify the issues, and then put it back together, will help you in making your recommendations. Making appropriate recommendations and achieving positive patient outcomes often relies on pinpoint identification of the issues which increase this patient’s risk, and this course gives you that foundation. Finally, since Covid 19 is still with us and adversely affects those patients over 60 years of age, two additional courses on Covid-19 are included in this offering. These courses are intended to help you put into perspective those aspects of Dysphagia that will increase the risk as your patients go through the lingering effects of this illness. Managing your recommendations appropriately may increase positive outcomes significantly.
This course is intended for the professional who wants to take a deep dive into learning to perform FEES and what it means for your recommendations and outcomes. The courses included in this intermediate educational offering include:
- What is Dysphagia: Intro to the Five Systems: Explaining It To Your Patients – .5 Hours
- The Five Systems of Dysphagia – An In-depth Look at the Muscular, Neurological, Respiratory, Gastrointestinal and Cognitive Systems of Dysphagia – 4 hours
- Covid-19 And The Five Systems Of Dysphagia – 2 Hours
- Covid-19 And Dysphagia Now What? – 2 Hours
- Dysphagia Risk Predicting and Establishing the need for an Instrumentation: Using the SwallowSafe.com Tools – 1 hour
- What is Dysphagia – An Animation – 6 min
- Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy – 2 hours
- Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy Identification Practice – 1 hour
- How to Scope – The 5 Systems Necessary for Success – 1 hour
- Positioning for FEES in All Settings – 1 hour
- Contraindications & Adverse Reactions in Performing FEES: What Can Go Wrong IF? – 1 Hour
- Documentation Basics for Performing FEES: What you should and shouldn’t do! – 1.5 hours
- Course Completion Live Zoom – 1 Hour
$650.00
Package 4: Comprehensive FEES Educational Offering
27 Hours of Courses + Select Companion Guides
ASHA CEU Available: 2.7
Prerequisites: This training assumes a basic understanding of FEES. The participant may have attended a CEU course or online course on FEES and understands the practical application of this technique for diagnostic swallowing instrumentation. The participant should take the courses in the order presented as this course is intended to build a deeper learning experience by laying the groundwork for identifying those patients who may be appropriate for FEES, and establishing the medical necessity for successful performance and payment.
What Makes This Course Different? In addition to an introduction to FEES as a procedure, this course goes deep into the Five Systems of Dysphagia, and even further into the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems of dysphagia as reflux and respiratory complications are indicators of poorer outcomes overall. Making appropriate recommendations and achieving positive patient outcomes often relies on pinpoint identification of all of the issues which increase this patient’s risk. Finally, since Covid 19 is still with us and adversely affects those patients over 60 years of age, two additional courses on Covid-19 are included in this offering.These courses are intended to help you put into perspective those aspects of Dysphagia that will increase the risk as your patients go through the lingering effects of this illness. Managing your recommendations appropriately may increase positive outcomes significantly. Documenting your FEES evaluation and telling the patient’s story is a necessary skill for compliance and reimbursement. This course lays the groundwork and provides a practice form.
This course is intended for the professional who wants to dive deep into learning to perform FEES and what it means for your recommendations and outcomes. The courses included in this extensive educational offering include:
- What is Dysphagia / Intro to the Five Systems: Explaining It To Your Patients – .5 Hours
- The Five Systems of Dysphagia – An In-depth Look at the Muscular, Neurological, Respiratory, Gastrointestinal and Cognitive Systems of Dysphagia – 4 hours
- Covid-19 And The Five Systems Of Dysphagia – 2 Hours
- Covid-19 And Dysphagia Now What? – 2 Hours
- Intro To the Respiratory System of Dysphagia – 3 hours
- Critical Thinking in Establishing Medical Necessity for FEES – 2 hours
- Reflux Dysphagia – 1.5 hours
- SwallowSafe.com Tools: Risk Predicting and Do I Need An Instrumentation? 1 hour
- Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy – 2 hours
- Normal VS Abnormal Anatomy Identification Practice – 1 hour
- How to Scope – The 5 Systems Necessary for Success – 1 hour
- Positioning for FEES in All Settings – 1 hour
- Contraindications & Adverse Reactions in Performing FEES: What Can Go Wrong IF? – 1Hour
- Documentation Basics for Performing FEES: What you should and shouldn’t do! – 1.5 hours
- Practice Videos utilizing the FEES View – 2 hours
- Utilizing A Form To Document The Five Systems of Dysphagia On Your Evaluation and Tell The Patient’s Story – .5 hrs
- Course Completion Live Zoom – 1 Hour
$999.00
Personal Q&A with DMS Founder and President Carol G Winchester
Although it is my intention to include everything you may want to know about performing the Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) through these package course offerings, I am aware that there may be additional consultation that one might want to have available. This consultation is not intended to replace the information presented in the packages but is intended to expand on areas of confusion that one might be experiencing after being exposed to the information.
For example:
- Uncertain as to what we are talking about with budgets in the business course? Perhaps I can help you with your budget and show you how to design your spreadsheet and calculate ROI that is reasonable and practical.
- Confused about how to approach the SNF that you would like to provide FEES services? We can work together to outline your preferred marketing approach and review what you can and can’t say to stay within the lines of the laws.
- Nervous about how to speak to a physician’s office about the services you can provide because you are not clear on how it will benefit them? We can discuss the financial, ethical, and functional issues they may be concerned with.
- Not sure about how the diagnoses, symptoms, and living situations work with risk predicting and establishing medical necessity? We can look at your processes and forms and see what you might want to clarify to be compliant in the setting in which you are interested in providing services.
- Wanting to be sure that you are protecting yourself and your employees or partners from the litigious healthcare environment in which we live? I can be your sounding board for how things are set up and play devil’s advocate for things I know to happen with those organizational processes.
- Any other questions? I am certain I have run across everything in the more than three decades that we have been providing this service across the USA.
There are many facets to learning to perform FEES and provide the service in the multitude of settings. Putting this information to good use is my goal for you and I am here to help you put the pieces of the puzzle together.
The consultation is scheduled in one-hour increments. When you sign up, you will be asked to fill out a form with your questions and areas of concern so that I can be better prepared to make the best use of your consultation time.
Price: $225.00/Hour
How do FEESTraining Online Courses Work?
1 The first step in your journey is to pick the package that is right for you.
2 Once you decide on that package, purchase your selection with a credit card.
3 You will automatically receive a confirmation email that will include a link to the course page, along with the password and instructions. Please read these instructions carefully.
4 To start the course, simply click on the course page link, enter the password, and begin!
The course page has all the relevant videos and companion guides in one place.
Once you finish the videos, you’ll move onto the Course Completion Live Zoom
Course Completion Live Zoom
When you’ve finished the course videos, the final requirement is a 1 hour online Course Completion Live Zoom. These Zoom presentations are pre-scheduled throughout the year (see schedule below), and you can join the one that’s closest to your course..
Once the live Zoom is done, you can finish the course by clicking the “Complete Course” button at the bottom of the page. This will take you to a form that must be filled out to receive a Certificate of Completion.
Lastly, if you want to receive ASHA CEU credit, click the “ASHA CEU Form” button on the course page, fill out the necessary information, and submit the form.
ASHA CEU information is submitted immediately after the course completion / live Zoom dates. If you don’t submit this form by the nearest end date, your ASHA CEU credit will be submitted the next submission date.
Live 1Hr Zoom Presentation Dates
The 1 hour zoom presentation will be offered at the following dates and times.
- August 23rd, 12pm EST
- October 4th, 12pm EST
- November 15th, 12pm EST
- December 13th, 12pm EST
The links to these Zoom presentations will be included in your course instructions email.
ASHA CEU Submission Dates
The following dates are when DMS submits your CEU information to ASHA. If you do not finish the course and fill out the ASHA CEU credit form by one of these dates, your submission will be moved to the next date.
- July 15th 2024
- August 26th 2024
- October 7th 2024
- November 18th 2024
- December 17th 2024
This information will also be included in your course instructions email.
ASHA CEU Information
Dysphagia Management Systems is a long-time ASHA CEU provider. Completion of the courses, attending the final in-person zoom Q & A, and submitting the required ASHA CEU information is the final step in the CEU Course submission process on your behalf. This must be done at the time of course completion for submission during the next ASHA CEU submission cycle to be possible. DMS will not accept partial completion for credit or late ASHA CEU submission information.
You, as the Speech Language Pathologist and member of the American Speech-Language- and Hearing Association must also be a member of ASHA CEU Tracking so that your CEU’s are calculated by ASHA and stored for your licensure renewal records. If you have not paid for this service, ASHA will not award your CEU or document them for you. You will, however, receive a certificate of completion from DMS that has documented the number of Contact Hours for the course you completed, if this is the method of professional learning that you choose to use. Receiving ASHA CEU is a choice on your part, and we cannot manage your ASHA membership or ASHA CEU Tracking. We do not submit to any individual state for CEU. You must submit your certificate to your state to be awarded those credits if desired. We only process CEU in the United States. For countries outside the USA, present your Course Completion Certificate and course brochure for appropriate credit.