The Use of Telehealth for the Delivery of Audiological Services
Description
This position statement demonstrates how the use of telehealth can help provide audiological care to patients. Tele-audiology services expanded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure patients continue to receive appropriate levels of hearing care. These services have been for pediatric and adult patients and have included remote clinical services, real-time audio and video consultations, remote assessment and programming of devices, and assessment and treatment of tinnitus, decreased sound tolerance, dizziness, and auditory processing disorders.
Key Points
It is the position of the American Academy of Audiology that audiologists should provide the full range of telehealth options for the delivery of audiological services as allowed by state licensure. Consumers will continue to demand telehealth as an option and third-party payers, including Medicare and Medicaid, may continue to support the use of telehealth as an option for service delivery. Consumers also can elect to self-pay for uncovered telehealth services.
The full scope of audiological services should be considered for delivery via telehealth, including services associated with the screening, assessment, and treatment of hearing loss and auditory system disorders; the delivery, follow-up, and monitoring of hearing devices; assessment and treatment of vestibular and balance disorders; consultations with other health-care professionals; and remote service delivery.
Audiologists should work within state licensure and local and third-party rules for the delivery of services, and any audiological services provided by telehealth should meet standards of care for those services.
Get Involved
Whether serving on a clinical document development panel or participating as peer reviewers, volunteers have regular chances to deepen their engagement with the Academy and make important contributions benefiting the field of audiology. If you are interested in clinical document development, please volunteer to express interest and submit a CV to the Academy’s guidelines staff by email.
To view the list of guidelines and strategic documents in development and to learn more about the Academy’s clinical document development process, visit the Academy’s Practice Resources website. Information from interested members is accepted on an ongoing basis, and members will be contacted as clinical document volunteer openings occur.
