Q: I have been hearing conversations about telemedicine and remote care for the past year. Is it true this is happening in the hearing healthcare field?
A: This is a great subject to discuss. The hearing healthcare field has actually been in the development stage since before we even had heard of the coronavirus. For the past several years, hearing aids have been able to use remote technology through smart phones, and patients love having the flexibility to make changes in volume and frequency response to their hearing aids according to their hearing loss and personal desire. Currently, the newest technology helps you control how you hear, in real time, simply by listening to sound profiles suggested by an app on the smartphone. The easy-to-use interface guides the person to better hearing by using A/B comparisons. All they have to do is choose what sounds best based on what they want to hear.
As far as telehealth, or telemedicine, is concerned, we will continue to hear those terms used over and over, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to be introduced to “teleaudiology,” the ability to offer hearing healthcare services either by phone or mostly now by internet. More specifically, the use of teleaudiology allows communication with patients through the introduction of a web-based interface. The audiologist counsels patients outside of the office atmosphere, in their home. Right before the pandemic, cloud-based digital service was just starting to allow audiologists to program adjustments directly to the patients’ hearing aids in the comfort of their own home. The responses have been positive. Just think how nice it is to be able to check in as need be, make changes to hearing aids, and counsel the patient and family when requested.
This is a new concept, but I am sure as telemedicine increasingly becomes an alternative appointment, teleaudiology use will also change the future of hearing healthcare services.
As always, give us a call if you have any questions we could answer for you.
Randa Mansour-Shousher, AuD, CCC-A, is a Doctor of Audiology with Northwest Ohio Hearing Clinic, located at 1125 Hospital Dr., Suite 50 in Toledo (419-383-4012) and 1601 Brigham Dr., Suite 160 in Perrysburg (419-873-4327).
