A new technology for remote monitoring of cochlear implants
Elderly deaf patients are known to be fragile: there is an increased risk of falls and depressive states linked to social isolation. They often have a reduced physical functionality that lead to a decline in daily activities.
Hearing rehabilitation can alleviate these weaknesses and in case of severe to profound hearing loss, cochlear implants provide an optimal solution. These implants directly stimulate the auditory nerve and they need proper control and installation.
In particular, the cochlear implant is mapped (adjustement of the intensity and electrical current for each electrode that stimulates the cochlea) and, especially in the first year, frequent appointments are required to monitor the rehabilitation protocol.
Sometimes this can be a problem for patients, having to undergo frequent hospital checks.
Recognizing the need for a new model of care delivery to alleviate the burden on both patients and healthcare facilities, an innovative solution based on remote monitoring of hearing remediation devices thorugh teleassistance has been conceptualized and will be developed.
This innovative method has been designed to increase clinical efficiency by evaluating the management needs of each individual patient and identifying those who truly require an in-person appointment.
At the same time, patients benefit from a more convenient care option that keeps them in touch with their healthcare provider and ensures the possibility of requesting a hospital visit only when necessary,
In particular, parents can be reassured that their child's device works well without the necessity to go to the hospital.
The literature supporting this project justifies these potential benefits.
Cullingon et al. (2018) compared a control group with in-person appointments to a remotely assisted group for 6 months.; this study confirmed that the remote assistance program achieved higher scores in the Patient Activation Measure (PAM). In addition, the cohort that received remore assistance showed greater improvement in collaborative management of hearing loss.
The teleassistance group also improved in the auditory test Digit Triplet Test, while the control group reported a deterioration in their hearing according to the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale questionnaire.
Althought 6 months may be insufficient to fully understand the benefits and limitations of this personalized remote assistance program, this study shows that remote assistance is feasible and leads to increased patient responsibility for their disability.
Our research will provide appropriate interaction between the various cochlear implant manufactures and the staff involved in auditory rehabilitation. The future goal is to give all cochlear implant users the opportunity to access this technology, regardless of the implant brand.
We believe that this will provide an improvement in the patient's quality of life, as they will need to visit the hospital less frequently, avoiding unnecessary travel and the associated strees for both patient and their caregivers. This approach aim to achieve the goal of subjecting the patient only to necessary medical visits. We also think that, remote care, leads the patient to a greater sense of responsability for his device and his clinical condition, this could mean having greater benefits from the whole rehabilitation process and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the treatment.