Exploring Hearing Care Technology from Clinic to Capability

Abstract

Healthcare systems are traditionally a clinician-led and reactive structure that does not promote clients managing their health issues or concerns from an early stage. However, when clients are proactive in starting their healthcare earlier than later, they can achieve better outcomes and quality of life. Hearing healthcare and the rehabilitation journey currently fit into this reactive and traditional model of care. With the development of service delivery models evolving to offer services to the consumer online and where they are predominately getting their healthcare information from the internet and the advancement of digital applications and hearing devices beyond traditional hearing aid structures, we are seeing a change in how consumers engage in hearing care. Similarly, as the range of hearing devices evolves with increasingly blended and standard levels of technology across consumer earbuds/headphones and medical grade hearing aids, we are seeing a convergence of consumers engaging earlier and becoming increasingly aware of hearing health needs. This article will discuss how the channels, service, and technology are coming together to reform traditionally clinician-led healthcare models to an earlier consumer-led model and the benefits and limitations associated with it. Additionally, we look to explore advances in hearing technologies and services, and if these will or can contribute to a behavioral change in the hearing healthcare journey of consumers.

Remote Technologies to Enhance Service Delivery for Adults: Clinical Research Perspectives

“…Although there are characteristics that elicited high agreement or disagreement (80%), there remains a lack of consensus in just over half (55%) the characteristic/device combinations. As is also discussed by Penno and Zakis, 10 while there are areas of shared commonalities, the appropriate application of each device type is informed by a clearer understanding of their functionalities and capabilities. Currently, conventional hearing aids are typically differentiated from "alternative hearing or listening devices" in that hearing aids are a registered medical product and the alternatives are not.…”