Rosemary Martino - ICEBeRG / GReBECI

Biography

Rosemary Martino has practiced for several years as a Speech Language Pathologist with a focus in swallowing disorders. She completed both masters and doctoral level training in the area of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. Her MSc research surveyed speech language pathologists on their dysphagia assessment practice behaviours. Her PhD research developed a new tool to measure impairment secondary to adult onset dysphagia. In addition, she has been an active member of the Dysphagia Research Society and contributed at an international level to establish best evidence and develop outcomes measures specific to dysphagia. She worked with the College of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology of Ontario (CASLPO) as the team leader in the development of the Preferred Practice Guidelines for Dysphagia. She also worked with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO) as the lead advisor in the development of provincial guidelines for the management of dysphagia in acute stroke.

Dr. Martino’s current research focuses on the development and implementation of two new tools: The Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Tool (TOR-BSST) which screens for dysphagia in stroke patients; and, a second tool that measures impairment secondary to dysphagia in all adult patients. As a New Investigator with the KT ICEBeRG, she is studying the implementation of the new TOR-BSST screening tool. In particular, Drs Margaret Harrison, Ian Graham and Rosemary Martino have been successful in obtaining a Dean's grant from the University of Toronto to assess implementation of the TOR-BSST ã in four community hospitals in Southeastern Ontario.

Martino, R., Foley, N., Bhogal, S., Diamant, N.E., Speechley, M, Teasell, R. (in press). Dysphagia Post Stroke: Incidence, Diagnosis and Pulmonary Complications. Stroke.

Urbach, R.D., Tomlinson, G.A., Harnish, J.L., Martino, R., Diamant, N. (2005) A measure of disease-specific health related quality of life for achalasia. American Journal of Gastroenterology 100:1-9.

Martino, R., Pron, G., & Diamant, N.E. (2004) Oropharyngeal dysphagia: Assessment practice behaviour patterns of the Speech-Language Pathologist. 19:3; 165-176.

Martino, R. (2002) Editorial: When to PEG? Dysphagia 17:3; 233-4.

Martino, R., Terrault, N., Ezerzer, F., Mikulis, D., Diamant, N.E. (2001). Dysphagia in a patient with lateral medullary syndrome: Insight into the central control of swallowing. Gastroenterology, 121; 420-426.

Martino, R., Pron, G., & Diamant, N.E. (2000). Screening for oropharyngeal dysphagia in stroke patients: Insufficient evidence for guidelines. Dysphagia, 15; 19-30. Abstract also in European Radiology, 10:11; 1843 (2000).