What is an Audiologist?
Audiologists are concerned with the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and (re)habilitation of auditory and balance difficulties in children and adults. Audiologists also provide education and counseling services for people experiencing problems in these areas. An audiologist’s scope of clinical practice includes the provision of assessment, treatment, (re)habilitation and consultation services for:
- Auditory function
- Vestibular function
- Tinnitus
- Decreased sound tolerance
- Auditory processing disorders
- Cerumen management
- Prescription and dispensing of hearing aids, cochlear and middle ear implants, as well as assistive listening and alerting devices.
In Ontario, only audiologists and physicians are authorized to prescribe hearing aids. Audiologists assess hearing, prescribe and fit hearing aids and other assistive listening devices and provide training for their use. Audiologists are also authorized by the Health Care Consent Act, 1996 (HCCA), to be evaluators of capacity to consent to treatment, admission to care facilities and personal assistance service. Many audiologists also dispense hearing aids. They are committed to the prevention of hearing loss through hearing conservation programs and public awareness initiatives. Where Do Audiologists Work? Audiologists work in a variety of health and educational settings, including, but not limited to:
- Hospitals
- Public health units
- Community Health Centers
- Schools
- Private Practice
- Industrial settings
- Hearing aid manufacturers
Do I need a referral from a family doctor to see an audiologist? No, audiologists are regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) which was designed to give patients/clients access to health care professions of their choice. Audiologists practice independently within their scope of practice.
