Abstract 140: Reducing Costs and Length of Stay Using Standardized Dysphagia Evaluation in Acute Stroke Patients

Introduction: Dysphagia is common after acute stroke. Variability in predicting who will require a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) prior to discharge can prolong length of hospital stay (LOS) and increase costs. Objectives: We propose a novel protocol to standardize speech therapy evaluation and G-tube recommendations among acute stroke patients with dysphagia to reduce LOS and costs. Methods: A cohort of acute stroke patients with dysphagia was identified through an administrative data set using ICD-10 codes for ischemic stroke and CPT codes for speech therapy evaluation, and if applicable, CPT code for G-tube placement. Patients with tracheostomy, comfort care orders, or discharge to hospice were excluded. A multidisciplinary team from speech therapy, neurology, and radiology applied quality improvement principles to design and implement a G-tube indicator score (Figure 1) to address variability in dysphagia evaluation. Median LOS and duration from initial speech therapy evaluation to final diet recommendatio...