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Bone anchored hearing aids: a preliminary assessment of the impact on outpatients and cost when rehabilitating hearing in chronic suppurative otitis media
Author(s) -
Watson G.J.,
Silva S.,
Lawless T.,
Harling J.L.,
Sheehan P.Z.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
clinical otolaryngology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.914
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1749-4486
pISSN - 1749-4478
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-4486.2008.01698.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic suppurative otitis media , audiology , otitis , hearing loss , surgery
Objectives: To compare the difference in ENT and Audiology visits, treatments dispensed and potential savings pre‐ and post‐bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) insertion in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media exacerbated by behind the ear hearing aids. Design: A retrospective pilot study. Setting: District General Hospital. Participants: All patients who had BAHA inserted from January 2001 to January 2006. Parameters: Age, gender, number of visits per month, treatments per month dispensed from the ENT and Audiology Departments and direct and limited indirect medical costs pre‐ and post‐BAHA insertion. Results: Twelve of 26 (46%) adult patients had BAHA inserted over the 5‐year period for CSOM. The male to female ratio was 1 : 3 with a median age of 61 (range 29–81). The number of visits and treatments dispensed per month in the ENT Department fell from a mean of 0.42–0.33 ( P < 0.08) and 0.22–0.14 ( P < 0.02) respectfully. When the difference in medical cost was taken into account BAHA offered a potential saving of £627.80 per patient. Conclusion: Although the initial acquisition of surgical equipment and BAHA sound processors is expensive, there is a reduction in the number of treatments and visits required for patients with chronic suppurative otitis media after BAHA is inserted leading to a reduction in average costs.