Hearing loss is a medical condition requiring evaluation, diagnosis, and discussion of treatment options by a qualified physician, such as an Otolaryngologist – Head and Neck Surgeon. Good health practice requires that an assessment for hearing loss should include a medical evaluation by a physician prior to any treatment delivery or hearing aid fitting. This evaluation should include a medical history, physical examination, objective assessment of hearing with interpretation of test results, determination of the need for further diagnostic testing, and discussion of hearing loss treatment options.
Adopted 7/10/1982
Revised 2/4/1989
Submitted for Review 4/13/1995
Submitted for Review 3/1/1998
Reaffirmed 3/1/1998
Revised 3/2/2014
Revised 11/10/2020
Important Disclaimer Notice (Updated 7/31/14)
Position statements are approved by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery or Foundation (AAO-HNS/F) Boards of Directors and are typically generated from AAO-HNS/F committees. Once approved by the Academy or Foundation Board of Directors, they become official position statements and are added to the existing position statement library. In no sense do they represent a standard of care. The applicability of position statements, as guidance for a procedure, must be determined by the responsible physician in light of all the circumstances presented by the individual patient. Adherence to these clinical position statements will not ensure successful treatment in every situation. As with all AAO-HNS/F guidance, this position statement should not be deemed inclusive of all proper treatment decisions or methods of care, nor exclusive of other treatment decisions or methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. Position statements are not intended to and should not be treated as legal, medical, or business advice.
