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Abstract

In Reply The Letter from Drs Berenbrok and Mormer describes a care delivery model, versions of which are currently being promoted at the University of Pittsburgh, 1,2 the University of Maryland, 3 and elsewhere nationally, that involves educating and empowering pharmacists to serve as a front-line interface with consumers seeking hearing aids, and as a conduit for appropriate referrals to audiologists and otologists when needed.We agree with Berenbrok and Mormer that this represents a promising approach. As we noted in our Viewpoint, 4 many people could potentially benefit from hearing aid technology. While continued efforts aimed at developing and advancing therapeutic technologies are essential, it is also urgent to improve delivery of these therapeutics to ensure that all persons, including those who are part of marginalized communities or who experience geographic challenges in accessing care, are able to benefit from them and receive the best care possible. Furthermore, these improvements will require the combined efforts of the clinical, research, and technology development communities, and additional investigations will be needed to determine the best service delivery models for maximizing benefit for consumers. 4 With regard to collaboration between pharmacists, audiologists, and otologists, we particularly welcome health services and implementation science research to better understand the optimal health care team configuration to deliver the best care across various populations, and to ensure that expert guidance is readily accessible by patients and consumers when needed.