Effectiveness of remote post-fitting support for over-the-counter hearing devices

Abstract

Models of hearing device services require revamping in light of the emergence of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Much effort has gone into remote fitting for OTC customers, but other post-fitting support services are lacking. Our aim is to explore ways of translating important aspects of audiologic counseling to a format that is not dependent on in-person delivery models. Individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were recruited and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) a traditional clinical treatment model, (2) a “hands-off” OTC delivery model, or (3) a remote service model with orientation and personalized counseling materials provided via an app interface. We hypothesize that individuals receiving personalized counseling remotely will be as successful as those receiving traditional clinical counseling, and more successful than typical OTC customers. Preliminary results suggest that participants receiving tailored remote support use advanced hearing aid features more often and report similar levels of satisfaction and perceived benefit compared to the clinical delivery model. The remote delivery model also leads to greater improvement in individual hearing goals. Overall, results from this study suggest that a tailored remote delivery model could be an effective way to introduce hearing aids to new users.