SA-6: Teleaudiology: Optimizing the Audiologist’s Scope of Practice Through Remote Care

Speaker

Adopting the use of remote care (i.e. teleaudiology) in our practices can be an equally intimidating undertaking for both new and experienced clinicians. Engaging on an unfamiliar medium can be daunting for both clinician and client, especially as most of our client population is not always tech savvy. The use of teleaudiology had been introduced prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, timing that was fortunate given the restricted client access many clinicians have had throughout this period. This extended interruption of the traditional audiology service model has forced private practice clinicians to become more efficient, more creative, and to accept other methods of delivering client care. This presentation aims to dispel some of the myths and concerns around the remote care approach, highlight the strengths and weaknesses of current hearing aid manufacturer offerings, outline strategies used to implement such care, discuss the use of teleaudiology from a private practice perspective, and underscore the immense opportunity we have in our profession to use remote care as a bridge to improving public perception of the solutions we offer.

Learning objectives:

At the completion of this session, participants should have a clearer understanding of how teleaudiology can be successfully implemented into their practice, what solutions the manufacturers are currently offering, and what advantages and limitations exist from both the clinician and client perspectives.