Audiologist vs. Hearing Instrument Specialist: What's the Difference?

Dr. Meredith Klinker
Audiologist

If you are having trouble communicating and think you may have a hearing loss, who should you see for help?

With all of the advertisements and conflicting information available, finding the right hearing healthcare services from the appropriate professional can be a challenge.  At HEAR Wisconsin, we are sometimes asked what the difference is between an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist.  While both types of professionals often fit hearing aids, the training and scope of practice of audiologists and hearing instrument specialists is very different.

An audiologist is:

• a licensed healthcare professional who usually has a doctorate degree (AuD) in audiology, or the science of hearing.

While some audiologists practice with master’s degrees, all audiologists are now required to complete a doctorate level of education in order to graduate and be newly licensed.  Audiologists undergo extensive clinical training in various environments throughout their four-year post-graduate degree program and are also required to complete a one year full-time clinical externship before beginning their practice.

As a licensed healthcare provider with extensive training and education in matters related to hearing health and the auditory system, an audiologist can:

• identify whether hearing problems require a medical referral or if they can be treated or managed through other means.

• diagnose and manage balance disorders, as well as identify additional consequences of hearing loss, such as language development issues and psychological disorders. 

Audiologists often work as part of a treatment team, which may include other professionals like speech-language pathologists, psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, and physicians. Audiologists work with everyone from infants to older adults, and the services provided are essential for individuals who may be more difficult to assess or treat for hearing loss, such as those with dementia, physical disabilities, or developmental disabilities.

A hearing instrument specialist is:

• an individual who has been trained to perform hearing tests in order to fit people with hearing aids.

The only educational requirements are a high school diploma or GED and one year of work experience under the supervision of a hearing instrument specialist.  Hearing instrument specialists must then obtain a passing grade on a licensure exam. Because their training, experience, and knowledge base is focused so narrowly on hearing aid fitting services, Wisconsin Administrative Code DHFS 107.24(3)(H) prohibits hearing instrument specialists from providing services to Medicaid recipients who are under the age of 21, who have behavioral challenges, cognitive disabilities, or have other special needs that require the expertise of an audiologist. A hearing instrument specialist does not have extensive training in hearing sciences and does not necessarily have the background that would allow them to treat individuals with more complex hearing issues or those whose hearing loss is medically-based.  A hearing instrument specialist is also in the specific business of selling hearing aids to manage hearing loss, while an audiologist is trained to focus on your overall hearing health, however it can be treated or managed.

Before you invest hundreds, or even thousands of dollars into hearing aids, you should consider who you want to entrust with your hearing health, and whether you feel that an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist is better equipped to accurately measure your hearing loss and provided a wide variety of options and devices to help manage your care. If you are unsure of which option is right for you, our caring staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have.  

Contact our audiology coordinator (414-604-7219 or info@hearwi.org) to schedule a hearing evaluation, obtain a free hearing screening, and/or determine the best course of treatment to meet your needs.

Hearing Loss Risks in the Workplace: The Importance of a Solid Hearing Conservation Program

Dr. Meredith Klinker
Audiologist

Hearing Loss Risks in the Workplace:
The Importance of a Solid Hearing Conservation Program

Prevalence:

Hearing loss in the workplace is a hidden risk, many times overlooked when doing typical productivity studies. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational hearing loss is the most commonly recorded occupational illness in manufacturing (17,700 cases out of 59,100 cases), which accounts for 1 in 9 recordable illnesses. More than 72% of these occur among workers in the manufacturing industry.

According to the Better Hearing Institute, over 34 million Americans are hard of hearing, and 60% are in the workforce. Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to increased worker absenteeism and reduced workplace productivity.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that each year, about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. In a recent report by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the authors stated, “Occupational hearing loss is a permanent but entirely preventable condition with today’s hearing loss prevention strategies and technology.”

Prevention:

To prevent noise and hearing loss as much as possible in the workplace, NIOSH recommends a “Hierarchy of Controls” from most effective (#1) to least effective (#5):

1)      Eliminate the Noise. Physically remove the hazard if possible.

2)      Buy Quiet Equipment and Tools. When possible, replace the hazard.

3)      Control the Noise Hazard. Isolate people from the hazard when possible.

4)      Exposure Time Limits. Change the way people work.

5)      Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Protect the worker with foam earplugs, earmuffs, or custom earplugs.

Hearing Conservation Program:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets legal limits for noise exposure in the workplace. For an 8-hour workday, this limit has been defined as a maximum noise level of 90 dBA. If a worker is exposed to higher noise levels than 90 dBA, they are required to wear hearing protection, and is entered into the company’s hearing conservation program.

NIOSH offers a guide for employers who are required to have a hearing loss prevention program in place. It has eight major components: noise exposure monitoring, engineering and administrative controls, audiometric evaluation, use of hearing protection devices, education and motivation, record keeping, program evaluation, and hearing loss prevention program audit.

The implementation of a hearing conservation program can lower the risk of hearing loss and related issues in productivity. When a worker has been identified as having a permanent hearing loss, an evaluation can help determine what hearing devices can help the worker function optimally in the workplace.

How can HEAR Wisconsin help?

HEAR Wisconsin’s Mobile Audiology Clinic can help meet a company’s Hearing Conservation program needs. We offer annual hearing testing, timely evaluation of audiograms by our audiologists, easy-to-read test results for streamlined recordkeeping, custom hearing protection, and full access to educational materials and specialized services to support a company’s hearing conservation efforts. If an employee is identified as needing hearing aids, we can offer follow-up services with 360 degree of hearing healthcare, including hearing aid fitting.

Contact HEAR Wisconsin today (mac@hearwi.org) to find out how our MAC team can meet the needs of your Hearing Conservation program. With MAC, we can bring our services directly to you and keep productivity loss to a minimum by screening up to 18 employees at a time.

Communication and Hearing Care: Still Essential in our Virtual World

Dr. Meredith Klinker
Audiologist

COMMUNICATION AND HEARING CARE:
STILL ESSENTIAL IN OUR VIRTUAL WORLD

Whether it’s through working, learning, or socializing, the pandemic has caused us all to spend more time communicating with each other virtually.  While technology has been a great resource during this time in allowing us to continue connecting with others, communicating through phones and screens (not to mention masks) creates some unique challenges, especially for those with hearing loss.  Maybe you find it difficult to hear all of the conversation bouncing back and forth in your office meeting or family zoom call, or maybe you’ve noticed that a friend or loved one is struggling to keep up.  Whether you’re masked up in person or connecting long distance, here are some tips and resources to help make communication easier during this time:

Video Chatting

• Turn your camera on.  We all pay attention to visual cues to understand each other, and those with hearing loss often rely on these more.  If you’re on a video call, simply having your cameras turned on can make a big difference.  Make sure that as you’re speaking, your face and mouth are visible in the camera frame. 

• Automatic Captioning.  Services like Microsoft Teams, which is often used in workplaces, or Skype, have live automatic captioning available to turn on with the click of a button within your meeting options.  While these captions are not always perfect, they can help add to the spoken and visual cues when something is missed.  In order to optimize live captioning, make sure that only one person is speaking at a time, and try to speak slightly slower and more clearly.  Also, be sure that you are close enough to the microphone on your phone or computer.  Zoom does not allow for automatic captioning but has an option for a meeting participant or a captioning service to provide live captions.

• Optimize your environment.  Try to minimize background noise by turning off other sound sources like the radio and TV and searching out a quiet spot in your home whenever possible.  Using headphones may also help, as they eliminate any distance between you and the sound source, and they can help block out external noise.  If you do use headphones, make sure that you’re choosing a safe volume.  If your headphone volume is near the top of your volume range, you’ve likely entered a threshold that could potentially damage your hearing.

Masks

• Considering a hearing test.  While masks are important in keeping us safe, they reduce the volume of a speaker’s voice and hide their mouth, which poses a challenge.  While we all use visual cues to some extent, if you have found yourself asking for frequent repetitions or straining to hear a masked speaker, it’s very possible you have a hearing loss that you may not have noticed previously.  Consider seeing an audiologist, who can test your hearing and work with you to find the best options to treat your hearing loss.

• Clear masks.  A quick internet search will provide many options for masks that have a clear pane over the wearer’s mouth.  If you have a regular communication partner who has hearing loss, consider purchasing this type of mask—it can make conversation a lot easier!

For hearing aid users

• Bluetooth.  Many newer hearing aids allow wearers to directly connect to their cellphone and other devices (tablets, etc.) using Bluetooth, streaming the sound directly to the wearer’s ears.  The ability to connect directly is dependent on the specific hearing aid, as well as the device you wish to connect it to.  If you have questions about whether your hearing aids can stream from a device, you can contact your audiologist.  Many hearing aid manufacturers also have connectivity helplines where they will answer questions and talk you through the process. 

• Accessories. If you have hearing aids that are not compatible to stream directly from your device, there are accessories available through your audiologist that can help facilitate streaming.  Having an improved sound quality direct to your hearing aids can play a crucial part in your phone call or meeting going smoothly.

If you don’t have a hearing loss, remember that you will encounter others, both virtually, and out in the world, that do.  Remember to be patient when others ask for repetitions and try to rephrase what you said instead of simply repeating.  Be sure to directly face whomever you’re speaking with, and make sure your face is visible in the camera when meeting virtually.  Slowing down your rate of speech can also be helpful, but it’s not necessary to speak more loudly than your typical volume unless someone requests that you do.  These changes seem small, but they can make a world of difference when it comes to successful pandemic communication.