Hearing Aid Loan Bank Hearing Aid Loan Bank Project leader: Richard HarwardMembers: Andrew Cobabe, Teresa Garcia, Sachin Pavithran, Robert Robinson

BackgroundBackground

DemographicsDemographicsPrevalence of congenital hearing loss

◦Varies from different sources from 1 to 6 per 1000 birthsAn estimated 15% of children and teens have hearing loss

◦ Includes both permanent and temporary

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The Cost of Hearing lossThe Cost of Hearing loss

What will a Hearing Aid What will a Hearing Aid Bank help accomplish? Bank help accomplish? Improve over all language

development If the family decides to go with an oral

approach, it will provide early access to sound.

Provide families with a time period to help find ways to fund hearing aids.

Provide opportunity to have amplification before possible cochlear implant

Provide amplification while solving other medical problems

Professional Views Professional Views One thought for this project was “

what is the view of pediatric audiologists”

What is the need for a loan bank? What type of hearing aids are needed.

◦Are most of the children that would qualify for the use of a loan bank, present with a mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss?

◦How do we understand the need for a loan bank? Poll the professionals

Survey Survey Main points of the survey

◦Do you as professional have hearing aids that you loan low income families?

◦How great is the need for a loan bank?◦If a loan bank was created would you

use it?◦How long would these children need to

have access to a loaner hearing aid?◦What types of hearing aids are

needed? Low or high end.

How it worksHow it works Centralized location

◦ Department of health services

◦ Reasons why a university or a Pediatricians office might not be best.

◦ Central to multiple facilities that provide services for CSHCN.

◦ Easy contact for pediatric audiologist. Logistics

◦ Who covers the fitting and the ear molds

◦ The aids will be loaned for three to six months depending on need

◦ Aides will be loaned with a minimal or no fee depending on families financial needs

◦ Application process to determine eligibility.

◦ Resources to get own aids (work with their audiologist) Staffing needs

◦ Staff person to process application.

◦ Staff person that determines who meets eligibility.

◦ Staff to keep track of loaned out equipment.

◦ Follow up with borrowers.

◦ Who determines loan extension?

Questions and goals for the Questions and goals for the futurefuture

◦Awareness for audiologist (use of flier or pamphlets need to be developed)

◦ How to get additional funding to get more hearing aids available

◦Is it a possibility to work with insurance companies for additional hearing devices such as bone conditionals and cochlear implant receiver?

◦Working with the manufacturer is also an option

Hearing aids Multiple manufacturers? Match audiologist requests How many Tracking

Education/training materials for audiologists

FM systems Match audiologist requests

Alternative communication devices

Cochlear implant assistance

Bundled services: children require a large amount of attention in ensuring appropriate amplification

Ongoing evaluation: will require designing, conducting, and analyzing surveys of parents and audiologists

A hearing aid is only part of the solution: family needs to be enrolled in early intervention and have a good audiologist

Inventory Potential obstacles

SustainabilitySustainabilityPurchase newer/appropriate

technology in years aheadLocation and accessGetting the word outGrants and donationsAccountability (parents and audiologists)

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