Communicating With a Cleft Palate Team: Improving Coordination of Care Across Treatment Settings

Patients with cleft palate with and without cleft lip, and/or velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) present with complex speech disorders that require both surgical and therapeutic interventions. Because of their complex needs, best practices indicate that individuals should be followed by a Cleft Palate Team in order to provide care in a coordinated fashion. Collaboration between SLPs in the community and SLPs on a Cleft Palate Team is a critical aspect to ensuring optimal speech outcomes for patients with clefts/VPI. Collaboration and communication between the SLPs may take different avenues and different timelines based on the needs of the patient and resources available.