ORIGINAL ARTICLE Outcomes of a Pilot Water Protocol Project in a Rehabilitation Setting

The Author(s) 2011. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract There is considerable clinical interest in the risks and benefits of offering oral water intake, in the form of water protocols, to patients with thin-liquid dysphagia. We describe the design and implementation of a water protocol for patients in a rehabilitation setting with vid-eofluoroscopically confirmed thin-liquid aspiration. The GF Strong Water Protocol (GFSWP) is an interdisciplinary initiative, with roles and accountabilities specified for dif-ferent members of the interprofessional health-care team. Rules of the water protocol specify mode of water access (independent, supervised), the implementation of any safe swallowing strategies recommended on the basis of the patient’s videofluoroscopy, and procedures for evaluating and addressing oral care needs. Trial implementation o