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20Q: Remote Hearing Aid Programming - Getting Started

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1.  Remote hearing aid programming refers to: the patient using a remote control to adjust hearing aid settings the ability to program hearing devices remotely (e.g., when the patient is at home and the clinician is in their office or in their own home) to improve patient access to follow-up care the audiologist using a remote control to adjust a patient's hearing aids the patient self-fitting his or her hearing aid using an app

2.  Which of the following is a clinical use for remote hearing aid programming? A patient who is medically frail (e.g. pneumonia) can have access to counseling and hearing aid fitting adjustments from home without risking exposure to others in a facility or practice. A patient with new hearing aids can adjust to them, and then receive remote programming to turn on new features (e.g. tinnitus masker) without the hassle of a long commute to the professional's office. Remote programming may allow you to adjust a patient's hearing aid while they are out of town on business, providing your licensure law allows. All of the above

3.  Which of the following statements is true in regard to the availability of remote programming in hearing aids? Remote programming is only available with premier level products. Remote programming is only available with 2 major hearing aid manufacturers. Remote programming is available with major hearing aid manufacturers and at all technology levels (although not all devices have this capability). Remote programming is only available with hearing aid models manufactured after 2019.

4.  Some considerations for getting started with remote programming are: Check your state licensure laws Check whether you have restrictions on accessing cloud-based systems such as firewalls at your facility/practice Set up a remote programming account with hearing aid manufacturer(s) All of the above

5.  How does remote hearing aid programming impact patient satisfaction, according to key studies that have looked at this issue? Many studies show satisfaction is similar between remote programming and in person programming Satisfaction is poor with remote hearing aid programming but hopefully better solutions are on the horizon Studies consistently show face to face programming delivers significantly higher satisfaction, but patients will tolerate remote programming in a pinch No studies have looked at satisfaction with remote programming