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

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 waiting lists from SLPs (n = 264); (3) design of an active waiting website based on feedback from members of the public (n = 119), focus groups (n = 16), and a review of existing sites (n = 25); and (4) a randomized controlled trial evaluating active versus passive waiting by children and families (n = 97). Results: Studies 1 and 2 informed the development of a speech-language pathology care pathway, extending on findings from the literature, to promote holistic consideration of the duration and stages of waiting and support advocacy. Studies 3 and 4 were mapped onto Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to demonstrate a potential framework for planning, evaluating, and implementing waiting list management strategies in clinical settings.
Conclusion: Action is needed to address waiting lists in the absence of timely intervention. When managing waiting lists, professionals, governments, and policymakers are encouraged to consider the impact of waiting throughout the care pathway and adopt a systematic, planned approach when implementing solutions.