Question
How can I make tympanometry more engaging for my patients?
Answer
How many times have you heard a patient say, "I've never had this test done before... is this new?" when running tympanometry?
The truth is, patients often forget about tympanometry because it is frequently performed in a forgettable manner.
Traditionally, tympanometry curves are displayed on small screens that only the clinician can see, with little or no explanation provided to the patient about what the results mean. It’s no surprise that this part of the test battery is often forgotten!
Tympanometry is a valuable and intricate test, and we should present it in a way that reflects its importance.
With modern tympanometers, which are either PC-based or PC-enabled, you can create a much more engaging experience for patients by utilizing a patient-facing monitor.
- PC-based tympanometers: The computer triggers the tympanometer.
- PC-enabled tympanometers: The test is conducted on the tympanometer, and the data is then transferred to the computer.
If your equipment allows, you should transfer the tympanometry curves to a software suite like Noah (for example, Inventis' Maestro) after the test is complete and display these curves on a large monitor for the patient to see and understand.
However, the most impressive and gold-standard approach is to have the patient watch the tympanometry curves appear live on the monitor in real time as the test is being conducted.
This can be easily accomplished with PC-based tympanometers and with certain PC-enabled devices like the Inventis Clarinet (clinical) and Inventis Flute (diagnostic).
These devices can be switched to "Live View" mode, allowing the curve generated on the device to be simultaneously displayed on the computer monitor in real-time during the test.
By doing so, tympanometry becomes not only an educational experience but also an engaging and memorable one for the patient, rather than just another test that is quickly forgotten.
Resources for More Information
For more information about Inventis, visit https://www.inventis.it/en-na
Check out the following courses published on AudiologyOnline:
• Get Connected: The Benefits of Data-Transfer and Computer-Based Audiological Equipment
• From Evaluation to Post-Care: Enhancing the Patient Journey in Hearing Aid Fitting
