Dr. Olga Birchall

Olga Birchall is a speech pathologist with a passion for innovation, informed decision making, and equity in healthcare service delivery. Her role as Clinic Director at MSPC is underpinned by Olga’s commitment to compassionate care, service, and life-long learning.

Olga graduated from La Trobe university with first class honours in 2000, and over the past 25 years has worked in clinical care, clinical education, and leadership across multiple healthcare settings, including acute teaching hospitals in Australia (Royal Melbourne Hospital, Western Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, Monash Medical Centre) and the UK (National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Charing Cross Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital, and others). Since 2004 she has concurrently run a successful mobile Speech Pathology practice servicing adults living in the community, residential aged care homes (RACHs), and acute hospitals. Olga has had extensive experience in leading teams through service development, delivery, and evaluation across acute, rehabilitation, palliative care, community, and outreach settings.

In 2022 Olga completed PhD research, supported by the University of Melbourne (and funded by the Australian Government Research Training Scholarship) to generate evidence about onsite mobile flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (mFEES). Olga was the first provider of mobile instrumental swallowing assessment in Australia. Olga is also working to raise community, government, and professional awareness of mobile FEES by lobbying government ministers, health departments, through social media and by initiating the first international mFEES special interest group and research database. Olga has published research in international peer reviewed journals, presented at numerous conferences, and media platforms – including an award-winning online Speech Pathology media campaign, and being guest speaker on 774 ABC Melbourne.

Beyond speech pathology, Olga is mindful of her personal journey as a consumer of healthcare services, the power of hope, and the value of striving for humility in delivering person-centred and timely healthcare.