Mobile FEES

Our clinic offers evaluations in our facility as well as mobile evaluations for adolescent, adult,
and geriatric patients.

What is mobile FEES? Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is an instrumental swallow evaluation for dysphagia (swallowing disorder) completed by a specially trained speech-language pathologist (SLP).

 FEES is completed by passing a flexible nasopharyngoscope along the floor of the patient’s nasal passage into the pharynx or throat, allowing a view of the patient’s pharynx and larynx from above. Following observation of pharyngeal and laryngeal anatomy, the patient is given various items to eat and drink, colored green with food coloring to evaluate swallow function, safest diet level, and level of aspiration.

FEES can also be used to analyze muscle function, assess voicing, and view structural abnormalities.

Why Mobile FEES?

  • Minimally invasive and no radiation exposure

  • No size or position restrictions

  • Food is not mixed with barium like in a modified barium swallow (MBSS) completed at a hospital - it’s completed with REAL food with food coloring

  • View of pharyngeal and laryngeal structures in color. View of secretion management, vocal fold mobility and evidence of edema/erythema (redness and swelling).

  • Continuous recording with no limit on length of study which allows SLP to assess for the patient’s fatigue factor.

  • Efficacy of swallowing compensatory strategies trialed and assessed.

  • Study can be scheduled quickly as opposed to a long wait time for a hospital barium swallow

  • FEES can be performed on patients who would typically present with transportation limitations such as trach and vent dependent patients and bariatric patients.

Benefits of bringing Mobile FEES to your facility, clinic, or practice:

  • The cost of providing FEES in your facility is ~1/3 of the cost of sending a patient to a hospital setting for a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS). Because the patient does not leave the facility, staff does not have to travel outside of the facility to accompany the patient, transportation costs are eliminated, and the patient is able to participate in their scheduled billable therapy and medical services.

  • Our in-depth reports and documentation can assist to justify dysphagia therapy and improve health insurance reimbursement to the facility. FEES evaluations are incredibly accurate and reliable with findings.

  • Objective, timely study allows for more confident diet initiation which will save money on:

    • Modified diets (pureeing/chopping foods, etc.)

    • Pre-thickened liquids and thickened liquid packets

    • Enteral feeds

    • Transport and readmissions to the hospital

  • Dakota Speech and Swallow Center is available to travel within Rapid City to your hospital, skilled nursing facility, long term acute care facility, LTACH, ENT office, or physician office to perform the FEES procedure.