ONLINE FEATURE | The Results Are In: 2020 Member Survey of the Use of Real-Ear Probe Microphone Measurements

By Lori Zitelli, David Jedlicka, Tricia Scaglione, Leslie Cody, Allison Reitz, and Catherine Palmer

This article is a part of the July/August 2021, Volume 33, Number 4, Audiology Today issue.

The 2020 American Academy of Audiology (the Academy) Member Connect Survey focused on obtaining data from the membership in the following areas: demographic data, verification of amplification, tele-audiology, cochlear implant candidacy identification, and inclusion/equity. 

An introductory article describing the methods used to create and distribute the survey, as well as a summary of the demographic data obtained in the survey was published as an Online Feature with the March/April issue of Audiology Today.¹

The goal of this article is to discuss the data collected from Academy membership related to the use best practices in the verification of amplification. The survey was designed to produce actionable next steps for the Academy to support best practices in our profession. 

Other similar articles detailing the results related to tele-audiology, cochlear implant candidacy evaluation, and inclusion/equity will follow.

Pathways to Care

There are several possible pathways to care that patients with hearing loss may access. As amplification devices are becoming more accessible through over the counter (OTC) and direct-to-consumer route, it is important that audiologists distinguish the importance of their specific expertise and services in the process of selecting, fitting, and successfully using amplification. 

Audiologists provide customization along this pathway. This includes matching technology to the patient’s audiometric profile as well as to their communication needs and making evidence-based recommendations related to technology level, signal processing, and features. Customization of the physical fit should be based on the audiometric profile, the patient’s goals, and the sound environment the individual functions in on a day-to-day basis. 

Our focus in this article is the verification of the customized acoustic fitting accounting for the individual’s hearing thresholds and ear canal characteristics, which is accomplished using evidence-based targets for individualized output across frequency and across input level (soft, moderate, and loud). Finally, the orientation, adaptation, and auditory training process is customized for each patient based on their communication and lifestyle goals.