Awareness Among Hearing Enhancement Interventions and Reimbursement Criteria of Hearing Implants

Awareness, Hearing Impairment, Implant, Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures

The following research questions will be investigated: What is the knowledge of medical interventions for moderate to severe hearing loss and what is the knowledge of the reimbursement criteria for hearing implants of otorhinolaryngologists in a secondary setting in Brabant. This will be evaluated by means of a specific questionnaire that will be systematically gone over with the participants during an interview in the first and third phase. In a second phase, the investigators will investigate how the knowledge of medical interventions for moderate to severe hearing loss and the knowledge of the reimbursement criteria for hearing implants of otorhinolaryngologists in a secondary setting in Brabant can be increased by training the otorhinolaryngologists in a secondary setting in Brabant. In the third phase, the investigators will evaluate the knowledge of hearing implant interventions and reimbursement criteria among otorhinolaryngologists in a secondary setting.

In most developed economies, cochlear implants have been shown to be the most successful neuroprostheses for sensory moderate or severe neurosensory loss. These neuroprostheses are cost-effective with low complication rates. However, the literature indicates that there is a low level of awareness of the benefits of cochlear implants among the general population and among healthcare professionals. In addition, a lack of specific referral pathways has been reported. Utilization rates for adult hearing aids in people with severe or profound loss are 70% to 90%, but uptake in adults for cochlear implants is less than 10%. Therefore, the aim of this research project is to investigate the knowledge about medical interventions in moderate to severe hearing loss and the knowledge about reimbursement criteria of hearing implants of otorhinolaryngologists in a secondary setting in Brabant. The study group will consist of a maximum of 100 geographically selected otorhinolaryngologists aged 25-70 years in a secondary setting in Brabant. A subselection will be made from the reachable otorhinolaryngologists in the region of Brabant. Recruitment will be discontinued when a maximum of 100 otorhinolaryngologists has been reached. A specific questionnaire will be systematically reviewed with the participants during an interview in the first and third phase. There is no financial compensation for the participants.

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