Voice Therapy Per the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System
Towards a Unified System to Classify Treatments for Muscle Tension Dysphonia
Massachusetts General Hospital
600 participants
Feb 3, 2026
OBSERVATIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this study is to evaluate if using evidence-based, standard ingredient and target codes from the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System - Voice Therapy (RTSS-Voice) in standard of care voice therapy documentation can improve outcomes for patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). The main question it aims to answer is: Since the RTSS-Voice will help clinicians think about their treatment more specifically and in relation to nine evidence-based therapies, will its adoption be associated with improved outcomes? Clinicians across five voice centers will be asked to use the RTSS-Voice to document their voice therapy sessions for patients with MTD. Researchers will compare changes in outcomes between two groups of patients: those treated during the clinician's first year using the RTSS-Voice versus those treated during the clinician's second year using the RTSS-Voice.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria2
- Diagnosis of primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (pMTD)
- Patients with pMTD will be included regardless of subtype (e.g., functional aphonia, vocal fry, ventricular dysphonia) and they can have secondary diagnoses of reflux.
Exclusion Criteria2
- Patients diagnosed with pMTD will be excluded if they have secondary diagnoses related to structural, neurological, or respiratory disorders such as laryngitis, obvious vocal fold nodules, polyps, cyst, granuloma, sulci, paradoxical vocal fold motion, chronic cough, confirmed or possible upper airway paralysis/paresis, dysphagia, polypoid corditis, keratosis, presbylarynx, leukoplakia, or history of radiation to the head/neck. Patients with pMTD will be included regardless of subtype (e.g., functional aphonia, vocal fry, ventricular dysphonia) and they can have secondary diagnoses of reflux.
- Non-English speakers. The RTSS-Voice's standard and operationalized categories are in English.
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Interventions
Voice therapy is individually tailored to each patient and typically includes behavioral ingredients (e.g., applying pressure to the anterior neck, practice voicing in various ways, feedback on performance, provide information on the importance of therapy concepts) to modify the patient's auditory, somatosensory, vocal, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and mental functions. During this time, the treating clinicians will be trained to use the RTSS-Voice in their clinical documentation.
Voice therapy is individually tailored to each patient and typically includes behavioral ingredients (e.g., applying pressure to the anterior neck, practice voicing in various ways, feedback on performance, provide information on the importance of therapy concepts) to modify the patient's auditory, somatosensory, vocal, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and mental functions. During this time, the treating clinicians will have completed their RTSS-Voice training and using the RTSS-Voice in their clinical documentation.
Locations(5)
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NCT06152627