By Maggie Kettler
This article is a part of the September/October 2018, Volume 30, Number 5, Audiology Today issue.
Hearing loss is associated with numerous systemic disorders. Audiologists frequently provide consultation for patients whose care is managed by other specialists. In many of these situations, audiologists need to provide more than a consultative service. For many patients seeking answers, our audiological results can help in determining a diagnosis and selecting appropriate treatment.
A patient’s health history may be complex and his or her health-care team can include numerous providers. Audiologists are comfortable in the role of hearing health-care provider and frequently function independently from the other health-care providers working with a patient. The best outcome, however, occurs when all of the medical professionals involved with a patient work collaboratively.
A rheumatologist treating a patient with hearing loss associated with rheumatologic disorders, for example, might have limited knowledge about audiological testing and treatment. An audiologist could be unclear about the implications of a patient’s rheumatologic diagnosis on evaluation and treatment. The patient’s journey to hearing health will improve significantly when these health-care experts work together.
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