A unique aspect of Gardner Audiology is our incorporation of telemedicine, which is the ability to remotely diagnose and treat patients utilizing videoconferencing and remote services. Many of our patients have have experienced telehealth visits for their follow-up hearing aid appointments, and for adjusting their hearing aids. During a telehealth visit, the audiologist will video conference the patient and remotely make adjustments to their hearing ads. All of Gardner’s 7 locations have virtual exam rooms that are used for these procedures.
This allows us to access patients even when we are not physically in the same office.
Recently we have started incorporating remote hearing aid fittings into our telehealth practice. This week, Dr. Baker and I remotely fit a patient in the Citrus Park office from our Carillon office. During the fitting process, we used real ear verification measures to determine that the hearing aid in the patient’s ear was performing to the desired prescription based on his hearing test. This is the same process we would perform if we were sitting next to you in the office! We then walked through care and cleaning with the patient, who was very satisfied with the telehealth process and his new hearing aid.
Telehealth is an excellent way to expand and deliver services to our patients. It gives them access to us without excessive travel or delay in appointments. This is just the beginning in the ever changing fields of medicine and technology, and I look forward to seeing how it will evolve. Not all patients can benefit from remote access because of limitations imposed by some insurances. This year we expect the Florida legislature to pass some kind of legislation that will acknowledge telemedicine.
