August 2025
Dear registrants,
I am pleased to draw your attention to the results of ACSLPA’s first Voice of the Patient survey.
In the spring, ACSLPA engaged Pivotal Research to gather information from the Alberta public about their experiences accessing communication healthcare. The process started with interviews to help develop the survey instrument and was followed by the collection of feedback via an online survey. The College was pleased to have 523 Albertans respond to our survey.
The results highlight the excellent care provided by regulated audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLP) in Alberta. Respondents reported high rates of satisfaction with their overall experience receiving care from an SLP or audiologist, and perceptions of high quality of care. Generally, patients reported feeling respected, informed, and engaged in their care.
In addition to emphasizing the quality of communication healthcare services in the province, the results suggest ACSLPA focus on the following opportunities for improvement:
- Enhancing public awareness of ACSLPA;
- Exploring opportunities to better understand and address lower satisfaction among younger adults and individuals whose first language is not English, with attention to cultural sensitivity and inclusion;
- Supporting SLPs’ and audiologists’ clear communication with clients on costs; and
- Enhancing communication around consent.
You can view a summary of the survey results and the Pivotal Research report on ACSLPA’s Voice of the Public webpage. I would invite regulated members to read more on the website and consider ways you can use the information gathered to improve your professional practice for your clients.
If you have suggestions for how ACSLPA can respond to the results of this survey, or better support and guide regulated members as they continue to provide excellent communication healthcare services to Albertans, please do not hesitate to reach out. I look forward to hearing from you.
Finally, I would like to end this edition of Regulatory Thoughts by saying thank you to regulated members across the province for prioritizing safe, competent and ethical care for Albertans, and to specifically thank those registrants who shared information about ACSLPA’s survey with the public this spring.
Warm regards,
Melanie
Melanie Sicotte, R.SLP
Registrar/CEO