hearScreen USA, the U.S. National Hearing Screening app, is revolutionizing the way in which people are thinking about their hearing health. The app leverages the extensive usage of smartphone technology (estimated by Statista to be over 230 million users in 2018), enabling app users to self-detect hearing loss, connect with audiologists nearby, and also set up in-app appointments.
It has never been this easy to obtain clinically-validated hearing screening results. By using the free hearScreen USA app (available on both the iOS and Android app stores), users are able to screen their hearing and receive an accurate detection of hearing loss in under three minutes. In addition, the app offers personalized hearing tracking and (unlike any other app) it has an in-app patient-centered decision support tool developed with the IDA Institute. hearScreen USA will also link the users to their closest signed-up audiologist, if a hearing problem is detected.
hearScreen USA, developed by the hearX Group in collaboration with the American Academy of Audiology(AAA), is the first comprehensive hearing screening mobile application in the U.S. The app launched on October 10th, 2018 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
Since its release, over 6 000 apps have been installed allowing every person free hearing screening and the opportunity to connect directly to one of more than a 1 000 licensed audiologists registered on the network. “Our aim is to provide access to quality hearing care from the palm of your hand”, Dr. De Wet Swanepoel, founder of the hearX Group commented about the vision of hearScreen USA.
While age is still the greatest factor in hearing loss, younger people experience hearing problems due to multiple factors including birth defects, illness, exposure to loud music and occupational noise.
“Many people don’t realize that they’re suffering with hearing loss, and others cannot take time from their busy schedules to find an audiologist”, explained Jackie Clark, Ph.D. former president of AAA. “In some cases, the cause is temporary or a symptom of another illness or disease” she continued. “Technology like the hearScreen USA app will make hearing screens and the ease of connecting to licensed audiologists readily available to everyone”.
Audiologists are encouraged to join the hearScreen USA hearing health referral system. It is important to understand that screening is just the first step and that early consultation with a registered audiologist is essential for people with suspected hearing loss. hearScreen USA created a referral system that ensures users who fail a hearing screening, are linked to their closest audiologists, using geolocation. Register as an audiologist on the hearScreen USA system and receive referrals from people in your area to your practice.
For more information on hearScreen USA please visit: www.hearscreenusa.com or contact us at: info@hearscreenusa.com.
