If you are an audiologist who practices in IOM, or if you are an audiologist who is interested in adding IOM to your practice, ASHA now offers Specialty Board Certification in IOM.
“The evolving opinion among many surgeons is that both non physician and physician professionals should be required to receive actual operating room training and be credentialed in neuromonitoring interpretation rather than simply relying on a medical license or academic degree as evidence of competence.”1
Surgeons, patients, credentialing bodies, health care facilities and employers can be assured that the audiologist who has achieved AABIOM board certification possesses specialized education, training and experience beyond that required for entry into the general profession (e.g., Ph.D., Au.D.) as well as the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology [CCC-A]. Board certified audiologists in IOM possess an advanced understanding in this sub-specialty in audiology. They have met rigorous educational, practice and examination requirements and are required to maintain their board certification by demonstration of ongoing continuing education, ethical professional standing and valid licensure to practice.
The American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring (AABIOM) is recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) as a legally independent, subspecialty entity in the profession of Audiology. The AABIOM serves to ensure that the provision of clinical intraoperative monitoring and interpretation services (IOM) for referring surgeons, health care facilities and their respective patients is provided by licensed and competent audiologists who demonstrate a broad fund of knowledge, advanced clinical training and particular clinical expertise in the subspecialty field of IOM. As such, the AABIOM directs and oversees a professional level subspecialty Board Examination process, the end goal of which is specialty board recognition certifying an audiologist as having met specific educational, experiential and clinical competency standards.
The board certification process also involves the successful completion of a written examination addressing the clinical practice, interpretation, and direct dissemination of IOM data to any and all members of the surgical, anesthesia, medical, and/or operating room support staff. AABIOM specialty certification also serves as a quality assurance indicator for competent clinical service provision and qualified professional, real-time data interpretation by audiologists practicing intraoperative monitoring for insurance carriers, governmental agencies, professional organizations, health care facilities, credentialing bodies, and legal professionals.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must currently hold the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC/A), must have completed a minimum of 225 intraoperative neuromonitoring cases across at least three different surgical specialties (e.g. spine, intracranial, vascular, cardiothoracic, peripheral nerve, otologic, head and neck, etc). Intraoperative neuromonitoring experience must have been completed within three (3) years prior to applying for BCS-IOM. And Applicants must provide proof of attendance and completion of 15 hours of continuing education units at seminars, workshops, specialized fellowship training programs or other educational programs offering ASHA continuing education units (CEUs) and/or mentored activities with a clinician who has a minimum of 3 years IOM experience.
For complete information regarding eligibility and educational and experiential requirements, please visit our website at www.aabiom.com.
1Dormans JP. Establishing a Standard of Care for Neuromonitoring During Spinal Deformity Surgery. Spine 2010;35:2180-2185.
