The Role of a Mobile Hearing App in Secondary Care ENT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Role of a Mobile Hearing App in Secondary Care ENT
IRAS ID
277455
Contact name
Sadie Khwaja
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Sudden hearing loss is a common presentation to ENT Rapid Access Clinic. This presentation requires accurate audiological assessment in order to deliver timely and effective treatment. With increasing demands on ENT outpatient services a large proportion of patients are now being assessed and treated in an outpatient ambulatory capacity. It is not uncommon for ENT clinicians to encounter patients presenting to clinic with acute hearing loss where formal audiological services are not immediately available. This study will assess the feasibility, usability and validity of the hearX Group - heartTest™ hearing test as a clinical decision support tool within ENT clinic settings. The hearX Group - heartTest™ is a CE marked medical device and it will be used within its intended purposes.
Summary of results
HearTestTM is an accurate and acceptable and form of hearing testing for both patients and clinicians. We propose that hearTestTM can be used within NHS ENT services as an adjunct to clinical examination when the gold-standard, manual audiometry is not immediately available. Tuning fork tests should be used alongside history and examination to ascertain whether hearing loss is sensorineural or conductive. A normal hearing result using hearTestTM is extremely accurate and may negate the need for formal hearing assessment.
Within our department, hearTestTM has been integrated into the local sudden sensorineural hearing loss pathway. It provides rapid audiometric assessment on the day of presentation and can be used out of hours. HearTestTM can also be used for serial hearing testing to monitor the response to steroid treatment. Patients are all referred for formal manual audiometry as per the standard protocol.
Further research is being undertaken to to assess the usability and practicality of hearTestTM within the NHS primary care setting and for screening for hearing loss in patients with dementia.REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0268
Date of REC Opinion
23 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion