Graduation Year

2004

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Au.D.

Degree Granting Department

Audiology

Major Professor

Arthur M. Guilford, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Robert F. Zelski, Au.D.

Committee Member

Patricia I. Carr, Au.D.

Committee Member

Gail V. Pashek, Ph.D.

Keywords

speech-language pathology, audiology, services, clinic, pinellas county

Abstract

The University of South Florida Pinellas County Hearing and Speech Center (USF-PCHSC) is a nonprofit 501 (C) 3 organization that will offer comprehensive audiology and speech-language pathology services to people of all ages. USF-PCHSC is a facility founded by The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders of the University of South Florida, with Dr. Arthur M. Guilford as chairman. Researchers have determined that hearing loss is one of the three most prevalent medical conditions in the United States, affecting more than 28 million people over the age of sixty-five (Martin and Clark, 2002). According to yellowpages.com there are twenty-five hearing health care professions within the Pinellas County area, yet there are only five facilities that offer both audiology and speech-language pathology service.

USF-PCHSC will begin offering services on May 15, 2004. It will be located in the Pinellas County area. The practice will offer a full range of speech, language and audiological services to include diagnostic audiometry; hearing aid fitting; pediatric speech and language services; hearing conservation; and aural rehabilitation.

USF-PCHSC will begin operation with two clinical supervisors and up to five student clinicians. All student clinicians will have completed a bachelor's degree and will be enrolled in graduate school, in either the speech-language pathology Master's degree program or the Audiology Clinical Doctoral degree (Au.D.) program. Although services will be available to everyone, USF-PCHSC's target markets will be senior citizens, pediatrics, and industrial sites requiring hearing conservation programs.

USF-PCHSC is in a strong competitive position because of their affiliation with the University of South Florida Tampa campus. USF-PCHSC's position is further strengthened by several factors; Dr. Arthur M. Guilford's background and credentials (see Appendix A for Abbreviated Curriculum Vita), the large and growing size of the target markets, affiliation with Bay Pines Veterans Hospital and the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, and recent and continuing technological advances in speech and hearing health care.

USF-PCHSC will seek donations totaling $100,000.00 to fund the start-up costs, staffing, equipment, and unanticipated expenses. The break-even point is predicted to occur after 18 months. The practice is expected to grow to the point that it will be fully self-supporting to include all professional and support staff salaries.

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