The profession of Audiology has been subject to recent legislative scrutiny, resulting in traditional service-delivery model disruptions. While hearing instruments remain the gold standard for treating hearing loss, alternative amplification options in the form of Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) have gained market traction, generating an influx of commercial devices from manufacturers within as well as outside of the hearing industry. With the recent passage of the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act, this inundation of new alternative amplification devices is expected to continue.
The decision to ignore versus to embrace alternative amplification technology by the practicing audiologist remains an individual choice and/or business strategy decision. Currently, there are no clear-cut answers as many details regarding the OTC Hearing Aid Act need to be figured out by August 2020. Regardless, access to objective performance data of commercially available PSAPs (and OTC hearing aids) would be beneficial not only to help navigate consumers and/or potential patients through an informed purchase decision process, but to stay abreast of viable options for adults taking the first steps toward developing a relationship with an audiologist for their hearing loss needs.
A research project initiated in 2017 with the Division of Adult Audiology at the Washington University School of Medicine has culminated into the availability of an on-going database. A portion is currently accessible from the Oaktree Products home page by clicking PSAP DATABASE. Electroacoustic and laboratory real ear aided response (REAR) measurement performance (first fit and programmed results) for eight standard audiometric configurations have been published for a sampling of PSAP devices. Data were collected during two different PSAP projects. The first project was completed at the Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Adult Audiology and published by The Hearing Review (Coupler and Real-Ear Performance between PSAPs and Hearing Aids). The second project was completed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center utilizing the same established protocols at Wash U. On-going data for a third PSAP/OTC project is currently underway at Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Adult Audiology.
The PSAP (and OTC database) remains a work-in-progress with updates made as new data becomes available. In addition, the comprehensive PSAP RESOURCE section of the Oaktree Products website offers information ranging from basic overview (e.g., definition, intended use, limitations) to PSAP vs hearing aid comparison study summaries (e.g. electroacoustic, on-ear fitting capabilities, speech performance, sound quality). Be sure to share PSAPs: Basic Info and Limitations with patients and consumers. Send suggested edits and/or additions for the PSAP Database or PSAP Resource pages to au@oaktreeproducts.com.
