20Q: Staging Hearing Loss: Closing the Gap Between Diagnosis and Action
Course: #42189Level: Intermediate 1.5 Hours 17 Reviews
This course examines the rationale and framework for developing a disease staging system for hearing loss, contrasting existing audiometric classification approaches with evidence-based staging models used for chronic conditions such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure. Hearing healthcare professionals will gain an understanding of the Hearing Health Collaborative's initiative to establish clinically meaningful staging criteria tied to documented health risks—including depression, cognitive decline, falls, and social isolation—and of the interdisciplinary steps required to advance systemic change in hearing loss identification and treatment utilization.
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Learning Outcomes
- After this course, participants will be able to differentiate between a hearing loss classification system and a disease staging system, including key structural differences in how each communicates severity, prognosis, and urgency of intervention.
- After this course, participants will be able to identify the health risks and comorbidities associated with untreated hearing loss—including depression, cognitive decline, fall risk, and social isolation—that are proposed as the foundation for clinically meaningful staging cut-points.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe the three countermeasures identified by the Hearing Health Collaborative to improve adult hearing loss identification and treatment utilization, including the hearing number, staging system, and standardized screening process.
Course created on July 13, 2026
Reviews
17 ReviewsPresented By
Sarah Sydlowski
AuD, PhD, MBA
Sarah Sydlowski AuD. PhD, MBA, is Audiology Director of the Hearing Implant Program, Director of Audiology Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, and Enterprise Associate Chief Improvement Officer at the Cleveland Clinic. She is Past President of the American Academy of Audiology and the Ohio Academy of Audiology. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Hearing Health Collaborative.
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Matthew Carlson
MD, MBA
Matthew L. Carlson, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester), and the Chair of the Division of Otology. He currently serves as Co-chair of the Hearing Health Collaborative. He specializes in treating diseases of the middle ear, temporal bone, and skull base. His primary research interests include clinical outcomes in cochlear implantation and acoustic neuroma tumors (vestibular schwannoma). He recently completed his Master’s of Business Administration at the Carlson Executive School of Management, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
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Continued and its subsidiaries provide professional education authored by qualified Subject Matter Experts for continuing education purposes. These materials are intended for educational purposes and do not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individual clinical judgment. Continued is not a clinical healthcare provider; the licensed professional is solely responsible for ensuring that the application of any techniques or information presented is within their legal scope of practice and jurisdictional requirements.
Financial: Sarah Sydlowski is employed by the Cleveland Clinic, Program Director, Institute for CI Training (ICIT), and is a funded research/consultant for Cochlear Americas. Non-financial: Sarah Sydlowski is Co-Chair, Hearing Health Collaborative. She serves on the Advisory Board for Emory Medical, and is a Past President of the American Academy of Audiology.
Financial: Matthew Carlson is employed by the Department of Otolaryngology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester). Non-financial: Matthew Carlson has no non-financial disclosures.
Sponsor Disclosure: This Course is presented by AudiologyOnline, a Continued site.
Content Disclosure: This learning event does not focus exclusively on any specific product or service.
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American Academy of Audiology
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Australian College of Audiology incorporating HAASA
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Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario
The Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario (AHIP) represents and guide its members in their practice which include, the testing and selecting, fitting and dispensing hearing instruments and associated devices in the best interest of the hard of hearing of Ontario. Audiology Online is an approved provider of approved educational activities for AHIP Members. One hour of coursework equals 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU).
American Speech-Language-Hearing Assn.
Intermediate Level
0.15 ASHA CEUs
British Academy of Audiology
This course has been accredited with 1.50 CPD point/s by the British Academy of Audiology.
Canadian Academy of Audiology
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California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board
International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training
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International Hearing Society
This program is approved by the International Hearing Society and its educational committee, the International Institute for Hearing Instruments Studies. To learn more about earning IHS CE Credit, click here.
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
Kansas Department of Health and Environment: Approved for 1.50 continuing education clock hours for Kansas licensed Audiologists by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Long-Term Sponsorship number LTS-S0035.
New Zealand Audiological Society
This course is offered for 2.00 Continuing Education points through the New Zealand Audiological Society.
Speech-Language & Audiology Canada
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