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10/27/2019  |   10:00 AM - 11:00 AM   |  Ventana Ballroom B

The Rotary Hearing Center of San Felipe: A Comparison of Hearing Aid Fitting Approaches for Developing Countries

The Rotary Hearing Clinic of San Felipe is dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals with hearing loss in San Felipe Mexico. The Rotary Hearing Clinic uses teleaudiology as a sustainable model of care provision. Trained technicians provide services under the direct supervision of audiologists at Arizona State University (ASU). Using video conferencing and remote desktop applications, synchronous real time teleaudiology is accomplished two days weekly. While synchronous real time telehealth is effective, it is not time efficient and therefore forgoes scalability. The use of asynchronous store and forward teleaudiology will allow the technicians to provide services during times the ASU audiologists are not online. While the San Felipe diagnostic testing protocol is automated and can be done independently by the technicians, the hearing aid programming is currently handled entirely by the ASU audiologists. A streamlined fitting approach is needed that can be implemented by technicians with acceptable accuracy. It is well documented that manufacturer simulated real ear measures are poor predictors of actual hearing aid performance (Aarts and Caffee, 2005) resulting in less than 82% of amplification targets meeting a lax criterion of + 10 dB. The British Society of Audiology (2007) recommends meeting amplification targets within + 5 dB of target at frequencies 250 Hz through 2kHz and 8 dB at 3kHz and 4kHz. Pilot data collected by the first author in 2017, found the use of standardized audiograms to be more accurate compared to 1st-fit algorithms, but less accurate compared to a traditional clinical method using real ear verification. This presentation will further examine the accuracy and efficiency of using standardized audiograms versus manufacturer first-fit algorithms, automated real-ear measures (verifitLINK), and traditional hearing aid fitting Data will be presented on the effectiveness and accuracy of using these approaches in a developing country.

• Describe the differences in terms of measured audibility using the four different hearing aid fitting approaches.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using each fitting approach in humanitarian projects.
• Describe the importance of following best practices and ethical standards in the identification and treatment of hearing loss.

Presentation:
18369_12231IngridMcBride_x.pdf

Handouts:
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Robert Margolis (Co-Author), Audiology Incorporated, rhmargo001@gmail.com;
Robert Margolis is Emeritus Professor at the University of Minnesota, Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University, and President of Audiology Incorporated. His research career has focused on diagnostic audiology, most recently on development and validation of automated hearing tests. He has participated in audiology service projects in Chile, India, and Mexico.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Receives Intellectual property rights,Royalty options or other ownership interest,Hold patent on equipment for Consulting from Grason Stadler Inc..   Receives Intellectual property rights,Royalty options or other ownership interest for Consulting from Grason Stadler Inc..   Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Receives support from Grason Stadler, Inc..

Jerry Yanz (Co-Author), Jerry Yanz, LLC, yanzjerry@gmail.com;
Jerry Yanz’s career in audiology has spanned several venues, including academia, the audiology clinic and the hearing aid industry. He served on the faculty in the Department of Communication Disorders at the University of Minnesota and directed a large audiology clinic in St Paul, Minnesota. Working in the hearing aid industry for twenty-four years, he has participated in numerous endeavors, including product research and development, executive management and ongoing education of hearing professionals.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Ingrid McBride (POC,Primary Presenter,Author), Arizona State University, ingrid.mcbride@outlook.com;
Dr. McBride is a Clinical Professor of Audiology at Arizona State University. She specializes in amplification technology, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and hearing assistive technology. Dr. McBride is dedicated to improving the access to audiologic services to underserved populations. Dr. McBride has extensive experience in providing humanitarian services on the ground in Malawi Africa and on site as well as via tele-audiology San Felipe Mexico.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Itzel Padilla (Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), Arizona State University, ipadill2@asu.edu;
Itzel Padilla is a third year Doctor of Audiology student at Arizona State University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from Loyola Marymount University before completing a post-baccalaureate program in Communication Disorders from California State University, Fullerton. As an AmeriCorps alum and daughter of immigrants, she has a strong interest in the provision of quality audiologic care to individuals in less fortunate regions. In the future, she wishes to be an audiologist that continues to partake in humanitarian work that offers evidence-based best practice.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.