Distance Audiology

With the help of a four year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, NDCPD directed the North Dakota Distance Audiology Project and demonstrated the effective use of Distance Audiology for the performance of Otoacoustic Emissions, Pure Tone Audiometry, and Brain Stem Audiometry.

The project was prompted by the void in evaluation and rehabilitative audiologic services in rural communities. Economic disincentives associated with travel distance and road time make the provision of adequate rural services difficult. This is a significant problem because without appropriate evaluation and rehabilitative services, cost effective early intervention for hearing loss with newborns and preschoolers is impossible. The lack of diagnosis and rehabilitation services also degrades the quality of life of older individuals who have progressive hearing loss. Finally, rural people who are members of groups with atypical diagnostic and rehabilitation needs can’t obtain accurate hearing evaluations. For example, the minimal hearing services in rural communities don’t meet the specialized diagnostic and rehabilitation needs of many people with mental retardation and other cognitive disabilities.

The Distance Audiology Project evaluated the use of telehealth technology to provide high quality audiology services in rural communities. This technology can allow access to remotely-based audiological equipment and personnel. The project validated the use of telehealth technology to conduct all the procedures typically used to conduct hearing examinations for infants, children, and adults.

NDCPD has demonstrated that sophisticated diagnostic audiologic procedures can be done at a distance. Its future in rural America, however, is questionable. Like many things today, volume is the key. In the sparsely populated areas where these services are needed, volume is of course low and present costs are usually prohibitive, even if reimbursement were available.