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Hearing Aid Verification: What You Can't Buy Over the Counter

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1.  Verification of a hearing aid fitting refers to: checking whether the hearing aid conforms to good manufacturing practices (GMP) checking whether the hearing aid solves the patient's initial complaint or problem checking whether the patient perceives benefit from the hearing aid checking whether fitting goals have been met

2.  Sanders and colleagues (2015) found: Manufacturers' default (first fit) algorithms provided substantially higher speech recognition than an NAL-NL2 fitting. Manufacturers' default (first fit) algorithms provided more audibility than what would be prescribed by a NAL-NL2 fitting, especially for softer inputs. Manufacturers' default (first fit) algorithms provided less audibility than what would be prescribed by a NAL-NL2 fitting, especially for softer inputs. Manufacturers' default (first fit) algorithms provide a very close approximation to NAL-NL2 targets for all input levels.

3.  Leavitt and Flexer (2012) compared premium hearing aids set to manufacturer first fit settings to an older technology hearing aid verified to match NAL targets. They found: The premium hearing aids and the older technology hearing aid provided comparable word recognition in noise scores as measured by the QuickSIN test Patients preferred the premium hearing aids set to manufacturer first fit over the older technology hearing aid. The premium hearing aids set to the manufacturer default settings provided better word recognition in noise scores as measured by the QuickSIN test The premium hearing aids set to the manufacturer default settings provided poorer word recognition in noise scores as measured by the QuickSIN test

4.  In the Abrams and colleagues (2012) research, based on APHAB results, they found that a NAL fitting was superior to the manufacturer's default fitting for: The APHAB ease of communication (EC) scale only The APHAB listening background noise (BN) scale only The APHAB listening in reverberation (RV) scale only The APHAB ease of communication (EC), background noise (BN) and listening in reverberation (RV) scale

5.  In the Abrams and colleagues (2012) study, how many patients preferred the fitting verified to the NAL prescription over the "initial fit"? 100% 7 of 22 15 of 22 0

6.  Valente (in press 2017) compared hearing aids verified and fit to NAL-NL2 targets versus hearing aids set to manufacturer's proprietary first fit algorithm. He found: Speech recognition performance in the lab was better for the verified NAL-NL2 fitting. Real world self-assessment inventories were better for the verified NAL-NL2 fitting. After a real world trial, 19 of 24 preferred the verified NAL-NL2 fitting. All of the above

7.  The Valente and colleagues (2017) research, based on APHAB results, found that a NAL fitting was superior to the manufacturer's default fitting for: The APHAB BN scale only The APHAB RV scale only Both the APHAB BN and the RV scale Neither the APHAB BN or the RV scale

8.  Amlani, Pumford and Gessling (2016) looked at probe-microphone measures effect on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) and perceived value (PV). They found that conducting probe-mic measures: Improved WTP only Improved PV only Improved both WTP and PV Did not improve either WTP or PV

9.  Humes and colleagues (2017) compared a "consumer decides" model with a "best practices" model of delivering hearing aids. They found: The "consumer decides" model yielded significantly higher outcomes. Hearing aids are efficacious for older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss only when delivered by an audiologist using best practices. The "consumer decides" model yielded only slightly poorer outcomes than the "best practices" model. Hearing aids are only efficacious for adults with greater than a mild hearing loss.

10.  Comparing data from the Humes and colleagues (2017) study with the Sanders and colleagues (2015) study in regard to the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) would seem to indicate that: A "consumer decides" fitting would provide a better SII than a hearing aid fit by a professional that is "first fit" with no verification A hearing aid fit by manufacturer's first fit in a professional's office without verification will yield a better SII than a model selected and self-fit by a consumer All models of hearing aid delivery yield the same outcomes. A "consumer decides" model of hearing aid delivery yields a better Speech Intelligibility Index than a 'best practices' fitting.