Patients with hearing impairments can avoid frequent hospital visits thanks to a new technology that allows doctors to adjust hearing aids remotely. Instead of attending in-person appointments at audiology clinics, the smartphone app connects with the patient's hearing device, enabling assessments to be conducted at home while the patient sits on their couch.
A pilot scheme using the app has been implemented since March 2020 at Plymouth University Hospitals in the UK, successfully reducing the waiting list for follow-up appointments for hearing patients to zero. Dr. Adam Beckman, head of audiology services at NHS Trust, stated, "It can take a long time for patients to come in and adjust their hearing aids. With this new technology, we can successfully make these adjustments remotely."
Sound is captured via a tiny microphone on the outside of the hearing device, converted into an electronic signal, and processed and amplified according to the user's needs. Finally, a miniature speaker inside the device transmits the processed sound to the ear canal at a level that can be easily heard by the user.
Since last year, Dr. Beckman and his team have been using a new hearing aid that allows them to make these adjustments without the patient being present. The tool, provided by Danalogic, a company specialized in hearing aids, connects to an app accessible via smartphone or tablet.
Patients can modify their devices through the app, such as switching to a setting that reduces background noise. The app allows audiologists to fine-tune patient settings more precisely, as reported by the Daily Mail. Dr. Beckman noted, "Patients can either call us or even send messages through the app to explain the sound issue they are facing. We can then make the change from our computer."
