DysphagiaInformedConsent.com was created to promote both safety and quality of life for individuals living with dysphagia and swallowing disorders. Across healthcare settings, the use of informed consent for diet texture modifications remains alarmingly low, even though these interventions significantly affect daily life, health outcomes, and personal autonomy. Many facilities continue to rely on dietary waivers as a substitute for meaningful consent, but these documents do not hold up in court, are not legally protective, and may be viewed as coercive and potentially harmful. True patient-centered care requires more than a signature. It requires a process.

Our Goal is Twofold:

(1) To ensure that individuals with dysphagia are active participants in decisions that affect their health, safety, and quality of life.

(2) To assist clinicians and healthcare facilities in acknowledging and upholding Federal laws that protect patient autonomy in healthcare decisions.

Dysphagia Informed Consent is a collaborative effort led by Hillary Cooper, M.A., CCC-SLP, Doctoral Candidate. It was created to advance ethical, evidence-based decision-making in swallowing care. Despite widespread use of texture-modified diets and other dysphagia interventions, structured processes for informed consent are inconsistently implemented across healthcare settings.

This platform was developed to bridge that gap.

The website houses curated research, clinical tools, continuing education resources, and practical materials designed to support speech-language pathologists and interdisciplinary teams in implementing shared decision-making practices in dysphagia management. It also serves as a self-archiving space for ongoing scholarship related to informed consent, autonomy, and health equity in swallowing care.