Phase 1 of collaborative action around the implementation of virtual hearing aid care: Development of a clinical practice guideline.

Abstract

There is a growing demand for comprehensive, evidence-based, and accessible clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to address virtual service delivery. This demand was particularly evident within the field of hearing healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, when providers were faced with an immediate need to offer services at a distance. Considering the recent advancement in information and communication technologies, the slow uptake of virtual care, and the lack of knowledge tools to support clinical integration in hearing healthcare, a Knowledge-to-Action Framework was used to address the virtual care delivery research-to-practice gap. This paper outlines the development of a CPG specific to provider-directed virtual hearing aid care. Clinical integration of the guideline took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and in alignment with an umbrella project aimed at implementing and evaluating virtual hearing aid care incorporating many different stakeholders. Evidence from two systematic literature reviews guided the CPG development. Collaborative actions around knowledge creation resulted in the development of a draft CPG (v1.9) and the mobilisation of the guideline into participating clinical sites. Literature review findings are discussed along with the co-creation process that included 13 team members, from various research and clinical backgrounds, who participated in the writing, revising, and finalising of the draft version of the guideline.