Abstract
The importance of tele-audiology has been heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present article reviews the current state of tele-audiology practice while presenting its limitations and opportunities. Specifically, this review addresses: (1) barriers to hearing healthcare, (2) tele-audiology services, and (3) tele-audiology key issues, challenges, and future directions. Accumulating evidence suggests that tele-audiology is a viable service delivery model, as remote hearing screening, diagnostic testing, intervention, and rehabilitation can each be completed reliably and effectively. The benefits of tele-audiology include improved access to care, increased follow-up rates, and reduced travel time and costs. Still, significant logistical and technical challenges remain from ensuring a secure and robust internet connection to controlling ambient noise and meeting all state and federal licensure and reimbursement regulations. Future research and development, especially advancements in artificial intelligence, will continue to increase tele-audiology acceptance, expand remote care, and ultimately improve patient satisfaction.
Highlights
Telemedicine is defined as “the delivery of healthcare services and information via high-tech telecommunications technologies” [1]
Telemedicine has been adapted to the field of audiology, known as tele-audiology, to provide remote hearing screenings, diagnostic testing, intervention, and/or rehabilitation services [3]
Eligible peer-reviewed articles were searched for using combinations of keywords including telemedicine, teleaudiology, telehealth, audiology, hearing, hearing aid, cochlear implant, otoscopy, audiometry, DPOAE, auditory brainstem response (ABR), smartphone, tablet
Summary
Telemedicine is defined as “the delivery of healthcare services and information via high-tech telecommunications technologies” [1]. This delivery model has been used in various forms since the late 1950s as a means of providing remote services to underserved populations who would not otherwise have access to care [2]. Telemedicine has been adapted to the field of audiology, known as tele-audiology, to provide remote hearing screenings, diagnostic testing, intervention, and/or rehabilitation services (e.g., hearing aid adjustment, cochlear implant programming) [3]. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widescale disruption to healthcare services worldwide and has accelerated the need for a remote hearing healthcare service model [4, 5]. Despite the global prevalence of hearing loss, only a fraction of those who could benefit from hearing healthcare services receive care [6]
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