Remote hearing aid fitting: Tele-audiology in the context of Brazilian Public Policy

Abstract

Summary Introduction: Currently, the Brazilian government has certificated nearly 140 specialized centers in hearing aid fittings through the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). Remote fitting through the Internet can allow a broader and more efficient coverage with a higher likelihood of success for patients covered by the SUS, as they can receive fittings from their own homes instead of going to the few and distant specialized centers. Aim: To describe a case of remote fitting between 2 cities, with revision of the literature. Method: Computer gears, a universal interface, and hearing aids were used. Case study: An audiologist located in a specialized center introduced a new hearing aid and its fitting procedure to a remote center (200 km away). The specialized center helped the remote center in fitting a hearing aid in 2 patients, and performed fitting in one of its own patients. The whole process was done through the Internet with audio and video in real time. Results: Three patients were fitted remotely. Three audiologists were remotely trained on how to fit the hearing aids. Conclusions: Remote fitting of hearing aids is possible through the Internet, as well as further supplying technical training to a remote center about the fitting procedures. Such a technological approach can help the government advance public policies on hearing rehabilitation, as patients can be motivated about maintaining their use of hearing aids with the option to ask for help in the comfort of their own homes.

The Role of Telemedicine in Auditory Rehabilitation

“…Penteado et al 24 reported three successful cases of remote hearing aid fitting between a large urban academic center and a smaller healthcare center in a resource-limited region of Brazil. Although no objective outcomes or comparisons were provided, this report provides an explanation of the process and value of providing teleaudiology services and educating local audiologists within a rural region with a lack of hearing specialists.…”

Connected Audiological Rehabilitation: 21st Century Innovations

“…In both studies, no differences between the two methods were found in the final cochlear implant parameters or in patient satisfaction. Other studies, such as those of Gladden and Beck (2015), Penteado et al (2012), and Kuzovkov et al (2014) have also confirmed the equivalence of hearing aid and cochlear implant outcomes when devices are fitted via tele-audiology or through conventional face-to-face clinical encounters.…”

Inter-regional Newborn Hearing Screening via Telehealth in Ghana

“…These video and audio files were large and might have congested the bandwidth, thereby slowing transmission of information from the host computer to the remote computer. However, in a related telehealth study, Penteado et al (2012) attributed the delay in THM to the distance between the host and remote sites and that the farther the distance the slower the speed of data transmission and vice versa. These authors also attributed the time lag in telehealth to the type of OS used by the computers.…”

“…The hybrid model combines both synchronous and asynchronous telehealth models (Krumm, 2010). Information and communication technologies as well as the advent of the internet have provided opportunities for serving communities with limited access to health care, and a number of such studies in audiology abound (Schmiedge, 1997;Givens et al, 2003;Ribera, 2005;Choi et al, 2007;Krumm et al, 2007;Ferrari and Bernardez-Braga, 2009;Ramos et al, 2009;Swanepoel et al, 2010;Penteado et al, 2012).…”