The Audiology Project

The Audiology Project began with a meeting in September 2016. Participants included AAA, ADA, ASHA, CDC, AOA, AADE and esteemed audiology university and clinical presenters. Current projects include development of a definitive white paper on the pathophysiology of diabetic ear disease as well as best practices for audiology medical management of patients with diabetes. The Audiology Project objectives include: 1) To establish universal standards of care and best practices for audiology medical management of chronic and infectious diseases. 2) To educate audiologists within or outside of university training programs to understand the impact of chronic and infectious disease on hearing and balance 3) To educate and promote better understanding of audiology among allied and medical healthcare professionals who serve patients with chronic and infectious disease. 4) Better understand how chronic diseases cause progressive decline in auditory and vestibular functioning and affect family communication, job performance and problems solving skills, quality of life and social behavior; 5) Develop evidence-based models of audiology care provision for people with chronic diseases resulting in hearing and fall/balance decline; 6) Explore the trajectory of brain and functional changes in aging (pediatric through geriatric) through the impact of chronic disease on hearing and balance; 7) Develop university and educational programs to build knowledge and understanding of hearing loss and balance within the chronic disease community, as well as the impact of excessive noise and medications. 8) Build liaisons with optometry, podiatry, pharmacy and other professional allied healthcare groups to support early identification and treatment of hearing loss and balance issues resulting from chronic diseases and ototoxic/vestibulotoxic medications.