How many hours a day are you wearing your hearing aids? Have you been wearing them in restaurants, church, and noisy areas? Are you using the various listening programs for noisy areas, with the TV, as well as Bluetooth streaming? How about volume adjustments….?
In years past, it was rather difficult to see the details and answers to these questions. Where the hearing aids were being worn, in noisy environments, quiet areas, noisy areas with and without speech was difficult to determine without asking the patient. And even those of us with a great memory to detail can miss many things important to a successful hearing aid outcome. We were unable to see how much the volume controls were used, how much each listening program was utilized, etc. I would not want to reduce the importance of a great face-to-face conversation with each patient, as that is what I look forward to each and every day!
With current advances in digital hearing aid technology, we can see the answers in bar graphs, pie charts, and a multitude of other ways! This information becomes a great teaching and learning tool. Once a patient arrives for a check-up visit, we can easily connect wirelessly to their digital hearing devices and download data of use, environments, volume and memory button control use, and check Bluetooth streaming. With smart phone use, we can allow the patient to control these areas themselves through an app we help download. The time is “now” to understand and discern each and every patient success in using their digital hearing devices. We become an even better partner with people in helping their quality of life.
Very interesting. Being able to track and report any issues with the instruments could be very beneficial for people.
Mary,
Yes, data logging in digital hearing aids is very interesting and tracking performance is awesome!
Love data logging!! It really does help, especially when we are working with someone who is new to hearing device use, and it helps guide us in needed adjustments to the devices.
Kristie,
I do too! Data logging is very helpful AND important to close patient care!
Interesting. Helps check the usage of the aid and checks the aid as well.
Joanne,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I agree.
Smart phones and smart hearing aids…. what a pair!! It just keeps getting better and better!
Gail,
Yes, those are a great pair! It’s a great time to be an Audiologists as well as a person with hearing loss. The advancements in digital hearing aid technology is remarkable!
So helpful to our Audiologists and our patients to have this ability!
Jen,
Yes, it sure is!