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Seminars in Hearing May 2021The use of various forms of tele-audiology exploded during the pandemic. This brief article provides tips and considerations for providing tele-audiology as we move... (Review)
Review
The use of various forms of tele-audiology exploded during the pandemic. This brief article provides tips and considerations for providing tele-audiology as we move beyond the pandemic. Importantly, audiologists need to document all forms of remote care including audio/visual, telephone (audio only), and email to support movement toward state licensing boards acknowledging that audiologists are qualified to provide this care and for insurers to support reimbursement for care provided via this mechanism. Educators will need to ensure that classroom and clinical education includes tele-audiology.
PubMed: 34381291
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731688 -
Communications Medicine 2022Tympanometry is used as part of a battery of tests for screening of middle ear function and may help diagnose middle ear disorders, but remains available only on...
BACKGROUND
Tympanometry is used as part of a battery of tests for screening of middle ear function and may help diagnose middle ear disorders, but remains available only on expensive test equipment.
METHODS
We report a low-cost smartphone-based tympanometer system that consists of a lightweight and portable attachment to vary air pressure in the ear and measure middle ear function. The smartphone displays a tympanogram and reports peak acoustic admittance in realtime. Our programmable and open-source system operates at 226 Hz and was tested on 50 pediatric patient ears in an audiology clinic in parallel with a commercial tympanometer.
RESULTS
Our study shows an average agreement of 86 ± 2% between the 100 tympanograms produced by the smartphone and commercial device when five pediatric audiologists classified them into five classes based on the Liden and Jerger classification.
CONCLUSION
Given the accessibility and prevalence of budget smartphones in developing countries, our open-source tool may help provide timely and affordable screening of middle ear disorders.
PubMed: 35721828
DOI: 10.1038/s43856-022-00120-9 -
South African Family Practice :... Mar 2021Ototoxicity is damage to cells in the inner ear after administering a toxic drug, with a resultant hearing loss. Drugs used to treat illnesses such as cancer,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Ototoxicity is damage to cells in the inner ear after administering a toxic drug, with a resultant hearing loss. Drugs used to treat illnesses such as cancer, tuberculosis, human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and infections are potentially ototoxic. South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV and tuberculosis, and thus a potentially greater degree of the population is being affected by hearing loss from the medications used to treat these illnesses.
METHODS
To determine the current status of research in ototoxicity, a systematic literature review was carried out to determine the focus areas of South African studies for the period 1989-2019. From the database search engines used (Science Direct, Ebscohost and Proquest), a total of 33 relevant articles were identified, including the themes of pharmacology, audiology and knowledge.
RESULTS
Studies were conducted in the three most resourced provinces in South Africa. Findings indicate that there is a need for educating doctors regarding ototoxicity and a delineation of the role of the audiologist in monitoring and management of ototoxic hearing loss. There is a resultant need for audiology training on the pharmacology of ototoxic medication, otoprotective strategies and adherence to recommended guidelines. This has implications for university audiology training programmes and curriculum planning. The need for development of South Africa-specific audiology guidelines was highlighted.
CONCLUSION
Whilst it is noted that there is a lack of resources for effective implementation of ototoxicity-monitoring protocols, it is also noted that there are measures and otoprotective strategies that can be put in place without additional resources.
Topics: Audiologists; Audiology; Ear, Inner; Hearing Loss; Humans; Ototoxicity
PubMed: 33764142
DOI: 10.4102/safp.v63i1.5187 -
Seminars in Hearing May 2019Medical interventions to combat serious infection or malignancies carry significant morbidities, including ototoxicity. While these lifesaving drugs are often necessary... (Review)
Review
Medical interventions to combat serious infection or malignancies carry significant morbidities, including ototoxicity. While these lifesaving drugs are often necessary to preserve life, the impact on quality of life for survivors is increasingly concerning for families and healthcare providers. Of primary importance for medical prescribers are appropriately sensitive ototoxicity grading scales and audiological monitoring protocols for surveillance for hearing loss. The intent of grading scales is to help communicate complicated audiological information to non-audiologist healthcare providers (such as oncologists) to help them make good decisions with regards to chemotherapy dosing. Appropriate audiological monitoring helps reduce the time delay between the adventitious onset of hearing loss and the diagnosis and intervention. Finally, pediatric ototoxicity grading and monitoring protocols help ensure timely access to adequate hearing habilitation, verification and validation of the management of permanent medication-induced hearing loss and tinnitus in children.
PubMed: 31036992
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1684044 -
Seminars in Hearing Nov 2016The concept of the patient experience as it relates to patient satisfaction is a complex dynamic. It is a dynamic that is becoming increasingly more important as... (Review)
Review
The concept of the patient experience as it relates to patient satisfaction is a complex dynamic. It is a dynamic that is becoming increasingly more important as patients are faced with multiple choices for their hearing and balance care. As reimbursement and performance policies have become more normative within health care, patient satisfaction has become a metric to measure quality. Patient satisfaction is no longer contained to just the interaction with the audiologist. It extends to the entire experience-the staff, the service, the product, and other factors. Many practices fail to capitalize on one of the primary components of the patient experience-office design. This article discusses the role of evidence-based design in facility planning as it relates to patient satisfaction. It will illustrate how design principles and ideal attributes may be used to send conscious and subconscious cues that will motivate staff, facilitate patient-centered care, and ultimately increase patient satisfaction.
PubMed: 28028324
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1593999