| Everyone needs their voice, whether it's for professional use or personal communication with family and friends. It is estimated that more than 28 million people in the United States rely on their voice for their profession, such as teachers, lawyers, salespeople, stock traders, actors and singers. Voice disorders including chronic hoarseness can come from vocal misuse, but can also be affected by other medical problems so diagnosis and treatment often involves multiple specialties. The Center for Voice at Northwestern University is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, whose purpose is: - To advance the state of the art of clinical laryngology through coordinated care, the introduction of emerging technologies and research.
- To provide a foundation for education of patients, primary care physicians, residents and interns in all areas related to voice disorders.
- To foster collaborative interdisciplinary basic and applied research in laryngology.
The Center for Voice allows for the total evaluation and treatment of the patient with voice problems among a diverse group of medical specialists---all of whom form a synergy in the care of the voice patient and in the development of emerging research. There are presently a number of multi-specialty voice centers in the United States, and major academic otolaryngology departments are increasingly recognizing the importance of laryngology and care of the professional voice patient. It is interesting to note that the first formal interdisciplinary voice clinic in the United States was established at Northwestern University in 1954 by otolaryngologist Dr. Hans von Laden and speech therapist Dr. Paul Moore. While this group is no longer practicing in Chicago, it is historically, medically and academically timely for the introduction of this new state-of-the-art Center for Voice at Northwestern.
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