Abstract
Total laryngectomy (TL) patients have limited options for speech rehabilitation in the immediate postoperative period, resulting in communication difficulties and patient frustration. This study investigates a novel mobile application (app), Speech Recognition Application for the Voice Impaired (SRAVI), to improve postoperative communication for TL patients. Participants received a tutorial on the technology prior to use and had access to the app throughout their hospital admission. A total of 16 patients were included. Of 652 valid transactions within the app, accurate phrase return on the first attempt was 43% with a total accuracy of 67%. Patients used SRAVI primarily to communicate with their care team (66.7%) and with family members/social support (80%). Patients reported using SRAVI, on average, 43.6% of the time to communicate during their hospitalization the majority (69.7%) preferred SRAVI to written communication. In TL patients, use of speech recognition technology is feasible in the immediate postoperative period.