2022 NHCA Annual Virtual Conference

In response to COVID-19, which significantly hindered hearing readiness in the U.S. Army, boothless audiometers were incorporated into the Army Hearing Program to perform hearing exams outside the audio booth and Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System – Hearing Conservation (DOEHRS-HC). Here, we will discuss new standard operating procedures developed to utilize boothless audiometry in a DoD Hearing Conservation Program, the challenges faced, and an evaluation of the program effectiveness in terms of hearing readiness and the potential return on investment. Initial results indicate our boothless audiometry test protocol was just as reliable as the standard of care. We will also highlight advantages of this boothless system in comparison to the legacy system by its ability to (1) reduce referrals due to masking and/or tinnitus (2) provide targeted hearing health education and training, and (3) bring audiometric testing to the unit. While the utilization of boothless audiometry during this public health crisis has been successful to meet the mission to maintain a medically ready force, innovations as a direct result from this endeavor highlight several additional improvements in comparison to current standards of care that should be considered for permanent inclusion in DoD Hearing Conservation Programs.