There are three types of teleservices you should know about, especially if you have hearing loss. These services are teleaudiology, telemedicine, and telehealth. This is where technology and health care come together to provide remote health care services from the tips of your fingers through communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices. You can easily use your smartphone or tablet to connect with health care professionals. To make it easier, we have defined and distinguished the differences between all three.
Teleaudiology is a great way to receive the required hearing care you need from an audiologist, but just can’t travel to one. Many audiologists have made their services available through teleaudiology. Teleaudiology provides remote services and has been widely welcomed by those who have limited mobility, live in rural areas, and especially by veterans. Most states allow audiologists to implement teleaudiology services. A few have also allowed hearing instrument specialists (HIS), state-licensed hearing care professionals who can evaluate the types of hearing loss one has and dispense hearing aids.
Telemedicine refers to remote clinical services where medical professionals diagnose, evaluate and treat patients at a distance through telecommunications. If you are looking for recommendations on some of the best telemedicine apps out there, Healthline has got you covered.
Telehealth refers to remote non-clinical services, such as training and continuing education, in addition to remote clinical services. Those with hearing loss often seek sound therapy apps as an alternative solution to help with their hearing. If you are looking for some recommendations on the best telehealth apps for hearing loss, keep reading to learn about our top picks.
Our Top 4 Picks
The Mimi Hearing app allows you to assess and track your hearing ability within a few minutes. Their easy-to-use testing provides a wide range of frequencies that are easy to understand. One neat feature is the ability to share your hearing assessments with friends, family, and health care professionals. In addition, the Mimi Hearing Test easily connects to your HealthKit, allowing you to export your results from your Health app (iOS).
The Oticon RemoteCare App allows individuals with hearing aids to communicate with hearing care professionals in real-time to help adjust patients’ hearing aids remotely. In addition to connecting virtually, some other benefits include video chat, fine tuning for your hearing aids, real-time adjustments, and support from health care professionals.
The Sound Scouts app allows you to immediately detect if you have hearing loss through their hearing test app, which is suitable for individuals 4 years and older. Their hearing checks are designed to identify three different types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss (middle ear issues), sensorineural hearing loss (inner ear issues), and difficulties listening in noisy environments (processing, attention, or language, such as ESL, issues). Three tests are conducted through the app: test of speech in quiet, tone test, and test of speech in noise and take about 6-8 minutes.
AudioCardio is an evidence-based mobile app that delivers inaudible sound therapies designed to maintain and strengthen your hearing while providing relief from tinnitus by stimulating the cells inside your ear. AudioCardio helps increase hearing sensitivity so you can tune into more sounds around you. The hearing assessment measures a variety of frequencies and allows you to focus on certain ones. You can easily track your hearing progress inside the app.
The convenient accessibility to telehealth apps has given individuals, audiologists, and other health care professionals more control over their health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We can only expect the telehealth trend to continue and grow due to its efficiency, reliability, and remote capabilities.
Additional Information
Telehealth Tips for Persons with Hearing Loss: FAQs
Better Hearing, Hearing Industries Association 2022
What is ehealth and how is it different to telehealth?
Charles Sturt University, Australia
September 24, 2020
Audiology Apps – LibGuides – ATSU
A.T. Still University
August 22, 2022
Audiology telehealth: Helping rural Veterans access hearing evaluations
VA News
July 3, 2019
