Successful Management of Hearing Loss Depends on Patient-centered Care

The patient has always been the central element in hearing health care. In the past, the dialogue between the patient and the provider regarding communication strategies and options was often the only treatment, especially when technology was limited. However, with rapid advances in hearing aids and cochlear implants, the model of care shifted away from patient-centered care to a medical model approach whereby the provider “prescribed devices” and did little else. Patients were viewed as a “hearing loss” rather than as individuals and were alienated from the decision making process. This presentation will focus on how to put the “patient” back at the center of patient centeredness with an emphasis on the empowering the patient to become actively involved in determining the management strategy most consistent with their preferences and values.