Waiting list management in speech-language pathology: translating research to practice

Abstract

Background: Many people with communication disorders wait for speech-language pathology services. Children may miss out on timely intervention and families may feel disempowered. Waiting list management poses a challenge for stakeholders, including children, parents, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Aim: This paper aims to inform SLPs’ waiting list management by presenting a care pathway and example framework for planning, evaluating, and implementing waiting list management strategies. Method: This paper draws on literature and a programme of research involving four studies: (1) submissions to an Australian Government Senate Inquiry (n = 133); (2) questionnaire responses about waiti..