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Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions

The importance of tele-audiology has been heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present article reviews the current state of tele-audiology practice while presenting its limitations and opportunities. Specifically, this review addresses: (1) barriers to hearing healthcare, (2) tele-audiol...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: D'Onofrio, Kristen L., Zeng, Fan-Gang
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8784511/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35083440
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.788103
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author D'Onofrio, Kristen L.
Zeng, Fan-Gang
author_facet D'Onofrio, Kristen L.
Zeng, Fan-Gang
author_sort D'Onofrio, Kristen L.
collection PubMed
description The importance of tele-audiology has been heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present article reviews the current state of tele-audiology practice while presenting its limitations and opportunities. Specifically, this review addresses: (1) barriers to hearing healthcare, (2) tele-audiology services, and (3) tele-audiology key issues, challenges, and future directions. Accumulating evidence suggests that tele-audiology is a viable service delivery model, as remote hearing screening, diagnostic testing, intervention, and rehabilitation can each be completed reliably and effectively. The benefits of tele-audiology include improved access to care, increased follow-up rates, and reduced travel time and costs. Still, significant logistical and technical challenges remain from ensuring a secure and robust internet connection to controlling ambient noise and meeting all state and federal licensure and reimbursement regulations. Future research and development, especially advancements in artificial intelligence, will continue to increase tele-audiology acceptance, expand remote care, and ultimately improve patient satisfaction.
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spelling pubmed-87845112022-01-25 Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions D'Onofrio, Kristen L. Zeng, Fan-Gang Front Digit Health Digital Health The importance of tele-audiology has been heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present article reviews the current state of tele-audiology practice while presenting its limitations and opportunities. Specifically, this review addresses: (1) barriers to hearing healthcare, (2) tele-audiology services, and (3) tele-audiology key issues, challenges, and future directions. Accumulating evidence suggests that tele-audiology is a viable service delivery model, as remote hearing screening, diagnostic testing, intervention, and rehabilitation can each be completed reliably and effectively. The benefits of tele-audiology include improved access to care, increased follow-up rates, and reduced travel time and costs. Still, significant logistical and technical challenges remain from ensuring a secure and robust internet connection to controlling ambient noise and meeting all state and federal licensure and reimbursement regulations. Future research and development, especially advancements in artificial intelligence, will continue to increase tele-audiology acceptance, expand remote care, and ultimately improve patient satisfaction. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-01-10 /pmc/articles/PMC8784511/ /pubmed/35083440 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.788103 Text en Copyright © 2022 D'Onofrio and Zeng. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Digital Health
D'Onofrio, Kristen L.
Zeng, Fan-Gang
Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title_full Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title_fullStr Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title_full_unstemmed Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title_short Tele-Audiology: Current State and Future Directions
title_sort tele-audiology: current state and future directions
topic Digital Health
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8784511/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35083440
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.788103
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