Research

Harnessing the Power of Technology

Technology has the potential to influence healthcare in many different ways.  Approximately 10 years ago, Professor Starmer initiated work on a mobile application to support patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy.  This application, called The Head and Neck Cancer Virtual Coach™, provides patients with access to video workouts to perform to maintain the strength and mobility of their swallowing muscles, high quality content about how to manage side effects during treatment, recipes and videos of foods that are well tolerated during treatment, and reminders to perform important therapy tasks.  The impact of The Head and Neck Virtual Coach™ on patient outcomes and their experiences during treatment is currently under investigation at Stanford, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The Head and Neck Cancer Virtual Coach™ application screenshots.

Publication

Starmer HM, Klein D, Montgomery A, et al. Head and Neck Virtual Coach: A Randomized Control Trial of Mobile Health as an Adjunct to Swallowing Therapy During Head and Neck Radiation [published online ahead of print, 2022 Aug 12]. Dysphagia. 2022;10.1007/s00455-022-10506-5. doi:10.1007/s00455-022-10506-5

Collaborators

Jennifer Kizner, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-S
Clinical Specialist
Jocelen Hamilton, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech Pathologist III
Beth Beadle
Beth Beadle
Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation Therapy)
Chris Holsinger, MD, FACS
Chris Holsinger, MD, FACS
Professor of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery
Jeremy D. Richmon, MD
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Director, Head and Neck Robotic Surgery Physician and Surgeon Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery
Tessa Goldsmith, MA CCC-SLP, BRS-S
Speech Pathologist, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Barbara Ebersole, BFA, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, Fox Chase Cancer Center