CLA-6302 Workshop: Module on Intervention Techniques
Amplification 2: Assessment, Selection & Outcome Measures in Hearing Aid Fittings
The prescription of hearing aids requires the management of the hearing aid prosthetic hardware, accessories, and supporting software. Clinically meaningful differences among all ears affect insitu hearing aids behaviors that, unless audiologically compensated for, may affect patient outcomes and lessen the likelihood of successful patient outcomes. Accommodating for individual ear acoustics and ear-coupling methods requires insitu measurement of the hearing aid response or calculation of the real-ear to coupler difference. A practical component of this course include completion of clinically routine measurements and electroacoustic verification of acoustic signal processing. As complementary quality control, students will verify the performance characteristics of hearing aids in accordance with relevant ANSI standards.
Assistive Listening Technologies
Generally relegated to relatively low priority in the audiology professional’s tool kit, Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are poised to play an increasingly vital augmentative, and sometimes central, communication enhancement option for clinical intervention of the hearing impaired individual. Determining the candidacy and utilitarian appropriateness of the wide variety of systems and units in the constellation of ALDs is a skill set that requires extending beyond clinical and medical audiology to full appreciation of the full ecosystem of a patient. Besides introducing the multiple options of systems (e.g. FM, Induction, Blue Tooth, Telecoil) in terms of Signal to Noise improvement prospects, the compatibilities and incompatibilities of systems with various hearing aids and hearing aid options need to be understood.