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Viewing entries tagged with 'audiology'

Viewing entries tagged with 'audiology'

Stage 4 restrictions - we're open but it's different

Posted by MAC on 12 August 2020

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During stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne we are open but it’s not business as usual.

We have changed our hearing services delivery model for stage 4 restrictions.  We are open for telehealth services and urgent face-to-face services. We can provide hearing services via telehealth to most clients including pensioners, veterans, and other eligible clients funded under the Hearing Services Program (HSP) and people under WorkSafe, TAC, DVA and NDIS.  We can also provide hearing services for people with Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plans.

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Telehealth and RemoteCare for Audiology Services – Teleaudiology

Posted by on 3 June 2020

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Telehealth and remote care for hearing services

As hearing health care practitioners, we are facing challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic.  How do we deliver hearing services to our clients in a safe way? 
The incidence of hearing loss increases with age.  Hence, we tend to see more seniors at our clinics.  Our older clients are at a higher risk if they are infected with corona virus.  So, we have adapted.  We are now conducting many of our appointment protocols differently to reduce the risks to our clients.  
From mid-March we have been providing some hearing services via telehealth.  Pensioners, veterans, and other eligible clients funded under the Hearing Services Program (HSP) can have some hearing services funded via telehealth.  Our Worksafe clients can also have some hearing services completed by telehealth.
Telehealth is often done by phone, which has its own challenges when talking to someone who has a hearing loss.  This is because people with hearing loss depend on visual cues and lip reading to hear optimally.  Have you heard anyone saying they can hear better when they are looking at you?  This is because we are using visual cues such as lip reading to help with hearing.  If the client with hearing loss can see us, they can use visual information to support their hearing.  For this reason, we would prefer to use video-chat for telehealth services in audiology.  In our industry we call this teleaudiology.  To be able to do teleaudiology, our clients need to have internet access and be familiar with using technology.  However, this is not always the case with our older clients.  Another compounding factor for teleaudiology services is when someone has limited English.  Despite these factors, we can do teleaudiology services with many of our clients.
The appointment types that we can do by teleaudiology include:
• reviewing hearing aid fitting
• reviewing your progress with hearing aids
• troubleshooting an issue with the hearing aids
• tinnitus counselling and support.
RemoteCare is an innovative technology in hearing aids that enables us to program some hearing aids "remotely' via the internet.  We can offer RemoteCare to our clients who have newer hearing aids with this technology.  They must also have internet access and know how to use apps on their smart phone.  RemoteCare allows the audiologist to connect to the hearing aids via the internet.  The connection is via an app specific to the model of hearing aid.  For example, we can adjust the Oticon Opn hearing aids using ‘Oticon RemoteCare’ app.  We book a ‘remote’ appointment which we do via video-chat (like Skype).  At the same time, the audiologist can connect to the hearing aids and adjust them in real-time.  The audiologist adjusts the hearing aid programming based on the conversation with the client.   The goal is to get to the best hearing possible.  Our audiologists love it!  It works like a face-to-face appointment in many respects.  However, if there are issues with physical fit or inserting the hearing aids clients will need a face-to-face appointment.
However, we cannot do all appointments via teleaudiology or RemoteCare.  We must do some appointments face-to-face.  These include:
• hearing tests, which we must do using calibrated equipment and in sound treated conditions
• most hearing aid fittings as we need to check the physical fit of the hearing aids on the ear and measure the amount of sound in the ear canal
• taking impressions for custom hearing aids
• otoscopy - checking the ear canal and ear drum.
To reduce risks of infection in face-to-face appointments, we are reducing the time spent in close proximity to our clients.  Where we can, we are doing part of the appointment by teleaudiology and the other face-to-face. 
As audiologists, we are often looking after older and hence more vulnerable people.  It is vital that when delivering our services, it is as safe as possible.  In summary, when supplying hearing services to our clients we are:
• practicing strict infection control
• physically distancing and managing the number of clients in a room
• adapting our service delivery procedures
o teleaudiology services
o remote care hearing aid adjustments
o reduced face-to-face time during appointments
o kerbside help.
RemoteCare will become more common as clients upgrade their hearing aids and become familiar with apps.  The other benefits of teleaudiology and Remote Care in addition to the ones already mentioned are:
• it can save clients time by reducing the need to travel to the clinic
• it’s a convenient service to people who live further away or cannot drive to clinic
• more support to clients especially in the first few days following a new hearing aid fitting
• timely minor hearing aid adjustments and counselling.
Whilst some appointments may be delivered in a different way as we embrace new service delivery models, we are still committed to providing our clients with the best hearing care. 
You can contact us on 1300 761 021. 

As hearing health care practitioners, we are facing challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic.  How do we deliver hearing services to our clients in a safe way? 

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Patient Centred Care

Posted by on 7 January 2019

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When addressing hearing problems, science and technology are naturally very important, but a one-size-fits-all approach will only meet the needs of a small number of people.  At Melbourne Audiology Centre we believe in “Patient Centred Care”.  Patient-centred care is health care that is respectful of, and responsive to, the preferences, needs and values of patients and consumers.  This is as much about the culture of the way we provide service, as it is about specific approaches and behaviours.

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Is someone you know saying, “Sorry, can you say that again” way too often?

Posted by on 18 May 2018

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If you’re reading this, you may suspect a friend or loved one may have some hearing loss.  Some people with hearing loss will act quickly and do something about it but others can take a long time and may need some extra motivation.

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Will you hear your family, friends and favourite sounds this summer?

Posted by on 16 November 2017

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Sounds are a major part of every day. For example, there are sounds like the microwave beeping that your food is ready, the kettle whistling, the phone ringing, and the blinkers in your car when turning. There’s the comforting sound of a kitten purring or a well-loved song track. There’s the contagious sound of a child’s laugh. There’s the pure enjoyment of engaging with other through conversation. 
Speech is a sound that enables people to connect with others. Hearing and understanding speech enables you to participate in conversations at home, work and socially. 
Sounds have an amazing ability to trigger memories: most people have experienced how a song or a melody can transport them back to the first time it was heard. 
In fact, there are thousands of sounds that we come across every day that are a big part of our life, past and present. 
For many people, these familiar sounds are fading. Hearing loss happens gradually with sounds starting to diminish until they are gone. Often, we don’t realise how much all the sounds around us actually mean until they are missing. 
With summer coming and the weather improving we become more active and if there is a hearing loss may notice the missing sounds.

At Melbourne Audiology Centre, we committed to bringing these sounds back into your life. We help people hear their favourite sounds again, whether it’s their granddaughter’s laughter, their son’s singing, the Christmas lunch conversation or thousands more.

Melbourne Audiology Centre’s clinical team are committed to finding the best hearing aid solution for you to be able to enjoy your favourite sounds. 
Ready for new hearing aids in order to better enjoy the sounds in your life? Check out our great hearing aid prices...

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