A new approach to hearing assessment

An ear simulator user guide targeting stakeholders from health policy, clinical audiologists, calibration service providers and equipment manufacturers, has been prepared, covering all of the EMPIR EARSII (15HLT03) research findings to be disseminated. It also contains guidance for using and applying the new ear simulator family including issues for further development of the methodology. The research covered many measurement-related aspects of hearing assessment, that have an impact across a wide range of stakeholders from health service policy makers, and hearing assessment practitioners, to instrumentation manufacturers and calibration service providers. This guidance document has been produced to enable the research findings to be disseminated effectively, key achievements to be summarised and recommendations for further research to be made. The document covers the initial rationale for the project and from the metrology perspective, the improvements in calibration and traceability aimed for. However, it also points to the expected impact on the wider audiometric community, including enhanced service quality for clinicians, new technical drivers for manufacturers of instrumentation, and most importantly greater assurances for patients and their families. There is a description of the proposed new approach to hearing assessment that flows from having ear simulators covering different age points for the first time, and consideration of the continuity issues that may arise from introducing such significant changes. It covers innovations in calibration and in specifying the level of short-duration test stimuli that calibration service providers and the standardisation community alike can adopt and build upon. Importantly it also defines the scope of further audiological research needed to help establish the new ear simulator specifications and see them become embodied in international standards and gain acceptance.