Senior Care Pharmacists, Audiologists, and Otologists: Improving Hearing Health for Older Patients Through Interprofessional Collaboration

Abstract

The purpose of this manuscript is to provide pharmacists with education on hearing loss that colleagues in audiology believe is most critical for pharmacists. As well as highlighting insightful interventions pharmacists can make in collaboration with hearing professionals, such as audiologists, otolaryngologists, and otologists, to improve patient care. This project was initiated by professional students at the University of Maryland in both Baltimore and College Park campuses, after completing the interprofessional elective course IPE Care in Geriatrics. Upon completion of the course, the authors performed an extensive literature search and reviewed publications pertaining to pharmacy, audiology, and their integration.Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life. Older people are at an increased risk for experiencing hearing impairment, but often do not seek help from health care providers. Collaboration between audiologists, otolaryngologists, and pharmacists has the potential to improve patients’ access to hearing health and break barriers for patients. Important interventions that pharmacists can make to better serve their patients with hearing loss include screening, enhancing communication, and hearing aid assistance. This article also provides guidance on identifying patients who would be candidates for over-the-counter hearing aids and patients who should be referred to a hearing professional. This skill will become increasingly relevant with the emergence of over-the-counter hearing aids.