HIPAA regulates the protection of sensitive patient healthcare data. The HITECH Act of 2009 was created to stimulate the adoption and protection of electronic health records. VoiceEvalU8 uses HIPAA guidelines to ensure privacy and security safeguards. VoiceEvalU8 runs on a HIPAA/HITECH compliant server available by LiquidWeb (liquidweb.com). The dedicated VoiceEvalU8 server has anti-spam & anti-virus protection, HTTP intrusion protection, daily and weekly data back up, and monthly vulnerability scans.

VoiceEvalU8 has an added level of security by requiring that the app user and the web portal user create unique passwords that are at least 8 characters, 1 upper case, 1 lower case, and a digit. In addition, the data stored on the server has an added level of security by encrypting first name, last name, password, and phone number so that these categories are jumbled and unreadable on the server.

VoiceEvalU8 may be used by clinicians interested in evaluating a client's voice across days before and after talking all day. The clinicians may be providing in-person and/or telepractice prevention, assessment, and treatment services of clients with voice needs. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) defines telepractice as:
"the application of telecommunications technology for the delivery of speech-language pathology and audiology professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client or clinician to clinician for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation (ASHA, 2018 https://www.asha.org/PRPSpecificTopic.aspx?folderid=8589934956§ion=Overview)." The web portal includes sample voice evaluation reports, voice therapy reports, examples of how to use VoiceEvalU8 with patients, and considerations for insurance billing.

VoiceEvalU8 may be used by clinicians during voice therapy to assess for generalization of session goals to the real world. Just schedule an app log session to include recordings of the voice and perhaps a quality-of-life scale. View the results the next day in the web portal.

VoiceEvalU8 may be used by educators and students who are learning about the anatomy and physiology of voice, voice evaluation, and voice therapy in undergraduate and graduate courses. There are assignment descriptions in the web portal. The assignments include acoustic, perceptual, aerodynamic, voice evaluation reports, and voice therapy reports. VoiceEvalU8 may be used by researchers who are interested in longitudinal voice data.

VoiceEvalU8 provides a paradigm shift from a single, in-person voice evaluation that provides one "snapshot" to a mobile tele- or e-voice evaluation that captures the "landscape" of voice over multiple days in the morning and in the evening.

VoiceEvalU8 is fast and efficient, completing one app log session across acoustic, perceptual, and aerodynamic measures in 5-8 minutes.VoiceEvalU8 provides the results for acoustic, perceptual, and aerodynamic measures in one place eliminating all of the tedious, time consuming analysis procedures. VoiceEvalU8 is a teaching tool bringing application-based activities to the classroom and the clinic.

VoiceEvalU8 promotes the ability to conduct real-world clinical investigations of voice beyond the typical pre and post treatment data collection "snapshots" to a longitudinal repeated measures "landscape".

Acoustic measures are collected through 3 trials of sustained /a/ for 5 seconds each, the all voiced phrase "we were away a year ago," and a 15 second connected speech sample. The measures include: fundamental frequency, standard deviation of fundamental frequency, jitter%, shimmer%, noise-to-harmonic ratio, cepstral peak prominence, smoothed cepstral peak prominence, and Acoustic Voice Quality Index version 3.01.

Perceptual measures are collected through rating scales. The measures include: Voice Handicap Index-30, Voice Handicap Index-10, Vocal Fatigue Index, Reflux Symptom Index, the Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire (TWVQ), Singing Voice Handicap Index-36, Singing Voice Handicap Index-10, Evaluation of Ability to Sing Easily, Perceived Stress Scale, Pediatric Voice Handicap Index, and other perceptual measures modeled after the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice that the user completes. Aerodynamic measures are collected through sustained /s/, /z/, and /a/. The measures include the s/z ratio and maximum phonation time.

Perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic results are immediately available in the portal. Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) version 3.01 is available the next day. The server analyzes the second trial of the 5 second /a/ and the all voiced phrase "we were away a year ago" for AVQI each evening from 2-4 am EST.

The results are presented in full text and audio reports in the web portal or through summary sections by acoustic, perceptual, and aerodynamic data. The files can be exported to Microsoft Excel. Graphs are also available. The graphs may be copied or printed. Acoustic summary files are available with a grand mean option across days in the morning and in the evening. Summary results are provided for the Voice Handicap Index-30, Voice Handicap Index-10, Reflux Symptom Index, Vocal Fatigue Index, the Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire (TWVQ), and other perceptual scales by sections and as total scores. Summary results are also provided for the s/z ratio and maximum phonation time. All of the audio recordings are available on the web portal for download to a local computer for further analysis.

There are training videos on how to use the app and web portal. Clinical and educational resources are also available. Educational resources include assignment descriptions. Clinical resources include sample reports, examples of how to use the app with users, and considerations for billing to insurance.

Begin by selecting the right pricing option for you. Once you have purchased the subscription, then a unique account will be created for you to access the web portal. From the web portal, you will assign app users, create logs, view results, and access all training videos and educational and clinical resources.

Please contact Elizabeth Grillo at VoiceEvalU8@gmail.com.