Profile
from the Milton J. Dance, Jr.
Head and Neck Rehabilitation Center
MiMi Duggan's career in speech pathology didn't begin the way most careers do. During her undergraduate studies, she didn't really intend on studying speech pathology. "I was looking for the Special Education office, and wound up in the Speech Pathology office to ask for directions," Ms. Duggan remembers. She decided to enroll in an introductory class, and felt a passion for the coursework. This led her to pursue both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Speech Pathology at Louisiana State University.
Ms. Duggan joined the staff of the Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head and Neck Rehabilitation Center in 1998. She possesses expertise in neurologically impaired adolescents and adults, knowledge that is vital to the Dance Center.
"One of the things that intrigued me about GBMC was the uniqueness of the clinic in terms of clinical support. The physicians and nurses have a great deal of respect for speech pathology, and there is a huge otolaryngology presence in the hospital. This allowed me to pick up what I was trained to do, and expand my duties."
Ms. Duggan primarily treats patients with neurological disorders including those who suffer from a Stroke, Aphasia, Traumatic Brain Injury, Dysphagia and who may be Tracheotomy/ Ventilator dependent.
"Our initial responsibility is to stabilize the patient's swallowing and to make sure they have functional swallowing without pulmonary complications. We can then address the cognitive, speech and language problems that may accompany traumatic brain injuries."
Speech pathology as a field is exploring more advanced approaches to communication difficulties, including augmentative communication. "Augmentative communication can be as advanced as computerized communication systems for patients who have no ability to communicate due to stroke or brain injury."
Ms. Duggan dedicates herself to training new interns and residents on the importance of speech pathology and the different components of her work. She emphasizes her treatment of patients with dysphagia, tracheotomies and speech difficulties.
Ms. Duggan credits the staff within the Dance Center and within GBMC for their support of the speech pathology program. "It's like a big family that all works together. We can't improve patient care without teamwork, and the staff here have a great comradery with one another."
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