The Pacific Voice Clinic and the Provincial Voice Care Resource Program (PVCrp) have been established by Dr. Murray Morrison, laryngologist, and Dr. Linda Rammage, speech-language pathologist, in affiliation with a number of public agencies, to serve the needs of British Columbians affected by voice disorders, and to provide an educational resource for professional practitioners involved in voice care.

The Pacific Voice Clinic is located within the Division of Otolaryngology facility of the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre. Teaching and research functions are supported by the Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, and by the UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. The clinic is structured around the laryngology practice of Dr. Morrison and voice care activities of Dr. Rammage. Strong linkages have been created with other professionals from psychiatry, neurology and vocal pedagogy who are active collaborators in clinic activities and take part in individual patient assessments as required. See the Patient Services section for more information about the clinic, what happens there and the procedures involved in obtaining a referral for assessment.



The Provincial Voice Care Resource Program is supported by annual contracts with the Provincial Health Services Authority, to provide British Columbians suffering voice problems with high quality clinical services, and to increase the knowledge and skills of voice care clinicians who provide community-based services to individuals with voice and speech problems. See the Training Programs for Voice Care Professionals section for more detailed information about this aspect of the PVCRP mandate. The purpose and objectives of PVCRP are described below.

Purpose: The PVCRP was initiated in June, 1993, for the benefit of British Columbians suffering voice and speech disorders. The purpose of the PVCRP is 3-fold:

• to provide high quality community-based clinical services to British Columbians suffering voice problems, in an efficacious and cost-effective manner
• to increase the knowledge and skill level of speech-language pathologists throughout B.C. in the area of voice disorders
• to manage the Fred Gingell Memorial Stuttering Treatment Support Program.

Under the direction of Dr. Linda Rammage, a speech-language pathologist specializing in voice disorders, and with support from officials in the B.C. Ministry of Health, the PVCRP was developed to meet the following objectives:

• provide tertiary-level, interdisciplinary clinical services to British Columbia residents with voice disorders, particularly those with complex etiologies
• provide outreach consulting services and mentorship by a team of experts in interdisciplinary management to voice care clinicians serving British Columbia residents with voice disorders
• provide a professional orientation program to new speech-language pathologists who are, or will be, offering community-based management to individuals suffering voice disorders throughout British Columbia
• provide outcome measurement systems specific to the management of voice-disordered populations to form the basis of quality assurance
• provide community-based speech-language pathologists and other voice care clinicians with resources for prevention of voice disorders and management of individuals with voice disorders
• provide financial support for adults in BC who stutter and need intensive speech therapy
• monitor the efficacy and long-term effectiveness of treatment outcomes of approved intensive treatment programs for individuals who stutter
• share information, expertise, and experience gained through the stuttering treatment program with the public and supporting public agencies.