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A Scientific Foundation for Prescribing Advanced Hearing Aid Feature Settings

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1.  Follow up visits: Are well documented as not worth the time spent. Do not involve gain changes to the hearing instruments. Are considered part of best practice and contribute to patient satisfaction. Should always be completed remotely and never in office.

2.  Older patients can be sensitive to both soft and loud sounds. To help reduce distractions you can modify this advanced feature. Noise reduction features (noise reduction, wind noise reduction, expansion) Directionality features (directional blending and automatic switching) The beep tones (tones for program changes and volume) On/Off (they can just turn off the hearing aid when distracted)

3.  For those that report tinnitus, you might consider less aggressive: Color choice as not to draw attention Noise reduction to help mask Venting to occlude the ear canal Impulse noise reduction

4.  Directionality: Is not worth using when you have an open fitting. Provides the same amount of benefit in an open and closed fitting. Can provide benefit in an open fitting especially if you are meeting targets with the selected coupling. Is an advanced feature that is the same as noise reduction.

5.  It is documented that hearing aid acceptance, directionality, noise reduction, and expansion can be modified based on the results of: MCL (most comfortable level) SNR (signal to noise ratio) ANL (acceptable noise level) DNR (digital noise reduction)