Fitting & Programming

An Investment in the Quality of Hearing

Proper fitting and programming of a hearing instrument is critical to its intended function, use, and the benefits derived by the user. At Robillard, regardless of our years of experience we are prudently reliant on state-of-the-art fitting, programming, and measurement technologies that will ensure that our customers receive the most from their hearing instrument investment.

The Value of Speech Mapping / Real Ear Measurement

At Robillard we are avid proponents of Integrated Real Ear Measurement (REM) Speech Mapping techniques – a reliable and trusted means of fitting and programming a patient’s hearing instrument accurately and expediently. REM’s role: to objectively quantify the acoustic output of a hearing instrument in a patient’s ear canal. The essence of the procedure: the placement of a probe microphone in the ear canal in tandem with an external sensing device to measure the sound pressure level (SPL), or gain provided by the hearing instrument.

For Behavioural Observations are not Enough

Every hearing health care professional performs adjustments to their patient’s hearing instruments based on relatively informal patient reports, and some make additional adjustments based on formal behavioural measures. Typically questions concern the quality of clarity, loudness, sharpness, comfort, and the sound quality of surrounding voices including the patient’s own voice. Adjustments are then made to address these and other subjective concerns. However, while hearing instrument adjustments based on behavioural observations are essential, the most precise starting point is to obtain knowledge of the signal reaching a patient’s eardrum through REM technologies.

Yet Even Today, for Many Not Much has Changed

It is interesting… moreover, surprising to note that in spite of the fact that REM is an objective, more accurate, and more meaningful means of sound quality measurement for an individual patient, a recent survey collected the responses of over 500 hearing professionals as to their use or non-use of REM technologies. While more than half of the hearing professionals surveyed (57%) possessed some form of REM equipment in their hearing health care practices, only 23% routinely used REM in the fitting and programming of their patient’s hearing instruments!

Now Let There Be No Stone Unturned

However, at Robillard Hearing Centres we deploy every means at our disposal to accurately and responsibly fit and program our patients’ hearing instruments. Figuring prominently in our comprehensive hearing instrument fitting and programming procedures: REM technologies.**

*2006 HR Dispenser Survey
**Robillard Hearing Centres uses Verifit and proprietary NU Ear Speech Mapping equipment

Note: For detailed information on REM: www.hearingreview.com
Speech Mapping: www.thehearingjournal.com (archives)