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1 Introduction
Pages 17-34

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From page 17...
... Still others do not recognize they need hearing health care, as hearing loss is an invisible health condition that often worsens gradually over time. Finally, others do not believe that anything can be done to help them or feel that the perceived benefit or value of the service or technology will not be significant enough to overcome the perceived barriers to access.
From page 18...
... , the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine appointed a 17-member committee with expertise in hearing health care services, audiology, otology, hearing loss advocacy, primary care, geriatrics, health economics, technology policy and law, and epidemiology. Brief biographies for each of the 17 members of the committee can be found in Appendix B
From page 19...
... ○  What should be the required federal regulatory paradigm for the dis pensing of hearing aids? • Address hearing health care access and affordability: ○  How can affordability of hearing health care, including consideration of third-party payment and alternate hearing assistive technologies and services, be improved?
From page 20...
... The pinna of the outer ear collects and focuses sound waves into the external auditory canal. The sound waves travel through the external auditory canal (approximately 2.5 cm)
From page 21...
... . The committee focused on hearing loss, the major population-based hearing concern in adults, but recognized that there are a number of other conditions, such as tinnitus, which affect hearing health.
From page 22...
... These interventions may include technologies, such as hearing aids and hearing assistive technologies, and auditory rehabilitation services, including auditory and speech perception, speech (lip) reading training, and training to improve communication and coping strategies.
From page 23...
... The committee viewed hearing health care through the social-ecological model (discussed later in this chapter) to emphasize the multiple levels of support and action needed throughout society to promote hearing and communication and reduce hearing loss and its effects.
From page 24...
... . As discussed in Chapters 4 and 5, the price of hearing aids (often bundled with the price for hearing health care services)
From page 25...
... Thus, many individuals must make choices about what will fit into their budget and may forego hearing health care to meet other needs. Hearing-Related Terminology The hearing abilities of individuals can vary widely across the life span.
From page 26...
... The following overview briefly explores several reasons why there is a critical need for a comprehensive study of hearing health care focused on improving its accessibility and affordability. Many of the issues discussed here are examined in greater depth in the chapters that follow.
From page 27...
... illustrates the relationships and interactions among personal and envi ronmental factors across society that play a role in hearing health: indi­
From page 28...
... . The relevance of this model to hearing loss can be found in the breadth of responsibilities and actions that encompass successful hearing health care.
From page 29...
... Technologies specific to hearing include hearing aids as well as personal sound amplification products and hearing assistive technologies that connect the user with the television, the telephone, and public sound systems. It is critical that all sectors of hearing health care are fully engaged in these advances and are fully utilizing effective technologies to improve hearing and communication and to assure interoperability and connectivity.
From page 30...
... Hearing health care, throughout all of its diverse professional and patient care pathways, offers a wealth of opportunities for fully engaging in changing the paradigms and embracing the quality measures and actions that can improve care for individuals with hearing loss. Opportunities include the exploration and evaluation of diverse delivery and payment systems (see Chapters 3 and 5)
From page 31...
... The goal is a person-centered, person-directed continuum of care across the life span. • Improve outcomes with a focus on value, quality, and safety -- Changes are occurring at a rapid rate in hearing health care tech nologies and in the delivery of hearing health care services, and actions will be required to ensure that these efforts are coordinated, safe, evaluated, and focused on best practices that provide value in improving hearing and communication capabilities for individuals with hearing loss.
From page 32...
... The focus of Chapter 3 is on hearing health care services, with overviews of the range of hearing health care professionals and the services they provide and with particular attention paid to improving the accessibility of hearing health care services. Hearing technologies are the area of emphasis in Chapter 4, which includes details on current regulations and the committee's recommendations for change.
From page 33...
... 2013. Best care at lower cost: The path to continuously learning health care in America.
From page 34...
... 2015. Aging America & hearing loss: Imperative of improved hearing technologies.


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