Direct hearing aid referral: the effect upon outpatient waiting times in a district general hospital.
One hundred elderly patients referred for hearing aids have been assessed with a view to setting up a direct hearing aid referral system, based upon the criteria laid down by the liaison group for Technicians, Therapists and Scientists in Audiology (TTSA). Sixty-three per cent of the patients could have been fitted with a hearing aid directly. Adequate prior wax removal, could increase this figure to 84%, with a reduction in the waiting time for a hearing aid of 6.1 months.
Fox
G C
GC
Department of Otolaryngology, Cheltenham General Hospital, East Gloucestershire NHS Trust, UK.
Sharp
J F
JF
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002571:Cerumen; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists