United States
Speech therapy can be life-changing for people with communication issues. Expressable is making it more accessible than ever by moving it online to reduce the cost.
The need for a speech therapist can arise for a long list of reasons, making it a commonly required service. People who need speech therapy face communication issues that can vary, but these lead to insurmountable social barriers for some. Unfortunately, many people face barriers to getting potentially life-changing help due to financial constraints, waiting lists, mobility issues, commuting distance, and more.
Thankfully, innovative startups worldwide saw the benefits of moving healthcare access online. As a result, telemedicine has become a regular part of life for many, especially over the past two years. Patients can consult with a doctor through online platforms, receive addiction counselling, and test their fertility at home, to name a few. Expressable, a Texas-based startup launched in 2019, is adding to that list with their remote speech therapy platform.
Expressable has over 40 licensed and certified speech therapists that cover a wide range of expertise. People are assessed during a free consultation and then matched with the therapist who will be best suited for their unique needs. The types of communication issues they cover are vast and include accent modification, aphasia, speech delay, voice disorders, stuttering, language disorders, and reading readiness. In addition, it is proven that parent involvement can significantly improve the outcome of speech therapy with children, so additional assistance is available to educate and support parents of children with speech difficulties.
Traditional speech therapy sessions can carry a price tag of $200+. Expressable charges $59 per session and is available outside of standard business hours, eliminating the cost associated with commute and time off from work. It has the additional benefit of offering messaging with the therapist five days a week, an online learning area and weekly homework where progress can be recorded for review before the next appointment. The startup recently announced a $15M Series A fundraising round. The funding will expand their reach by hiring more therapists and partnering with more health plans.
“Speech and language disorders are common in the USA, estimated to affect up to 1 in 12 children and teenagers. There’s a similar picture in Europe and the UK too. While some can improve with time alone, speech therapy is important for many. Using a telehealth approach is especially suited to this speciality. A significant part of treatment are speech exercises that work well with online video where the face is predominately in focus. It would be interesting to see any differences in patient outcomes for digital speech therapy Versus traditional face-to-face treatment. And whether by increasing patient convenience the research shows more patients complete the proposed treatment plans.” – Dr Vinay Shankar
Website: https://www.expressable.io/
Email: info@expressable.io
