Online Hearing Care: The Future Of Audiology?

The future of audiology is rapidly changing. With advancements in hearing aid technology, we are seeing the emergence of online hearing care (aka telehealth) in audiology. Telehealth allows us to remotely program and monitors a patient’s hearing aids from anywhere at any time. Not only does this make it easier for patients to receive care, but it also ensures that they get the best possible treatment available because there will be no wait times or scheduling conflicts.

The use of online hearing care is growing due to its many benefits for both the patient and audiologist. Increasingly, we are seeing a shift in how patients want to access services and online hearing care offers an attractive option that combines convenience with quality care. We anticipate that this trend will continue to grow in popularity as more people become aware of it.

Will Online Hearing Care Replace Local Audiology?

In many cases telehealth isn’t meant to replace local audiology services altogether- rather, it should be seen as an additional resource that patients can use to supplement their care.

Like all aspects of health care, online hearing care should only be used if it is deemed safe and appropriate for the individual in question. 

How Can Telehealth and Local Audiology Services Work Together?

The best way for local audiology services and telehealth to work together is by building a collaborative relationship. This will allow both services to provide patients with the best care possible.

For this collaboration to be effective, each service should have a solid understanding of how online hearing care works and what it can do. This includes knowing who qualifies as an online audiologist. It is also important that local audiology practices continue offering individualised patient-centered care while telehealth continues providing timely access to information and resources.

What Is The Best Hearing Aid For Online Hearing Care?

So, what should you look for when choosing a hearing aid with online hearing care capabilities? First and foremost, make sure that the hearing aid has Bluetooth streaming. This will allow you to connect your smartphone directly to the hearing aid and control it remotely. You’ll also want to consider whether synchronous or asynchronous telehealth is right for you.

Both types of telehealth have their benefits, so it’s important to decide which would work best for you and your lifestyle. Some factors that may influence this decision include whether you are online frequently, how often you travel, and your geographical location.

Synchronous telehealth offers the advantage of real-time communication between patient and audiologist which makes it easier to monitor hearing aid performance or make changes when necessary. However, if both parties aren’t online at the same time then there’s no way to communicate until they’re available again. Asynchronous telehealth also allows for two-way communication via email or secure messaging but does not require that both parties be online simultaneously; rather, messages can be sent back-and-forth as needed without interrupting other activities like work or school. This flexibility is especially useful for patients who may only have access to online services during certain hours of the day (for example).

At the time of writing, we feel the Resound One is the best equipped for online hearing care. It has both synchronous and asynchronous telehealth features, making it our go-to hearing aid at Adjust Hearing.

Summary

If online hearing care has been recommended for you, then having the ability to control your hearing aids from anywhere can allow you to receive quality service at all hours of the day. This convenience is especially beneficial if travel or other obstacles prevent you from receiving regular audiology services in person.

Furthermore, telehealth offers several advantages over traditional face-to-face interactions which makes it an appealing choice for many people. For more information about online hearing care and how it may be able to help improve patient outcomes while offering greater convenience, please reach out to us today!

We would love to chat with you further about what we do and see if online programs might be right for your specific needs as well.