Utilisation of tele-audiology practices in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of audiology clinic owners, managers and reception staff

Abstract

Objective

To canvas the views of Australia-based hearing healthcare clinic owners/managers and reception staff regarding the utilisation, experiences and perspectives of providing tele-audiology services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

A national prospective self-report survey was completed online. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Study sample

Twenty-one clinic owners/managers (M_age 54.43 years, 15 female) and 58 reception staff (M_age 42.88 years, 49 female) from Australia-based hearing clinics.

Results

Clinic owners/managers reported an increase in use of tele-audiology services as compared to pre-COVID-19. Reception staff reported providing more advice and support to clients over the phone. Both clinic owners/managers and reception staff indicated key barriers to providing tele-audiology services to include concerns about their clients’ digital and technological literacy and the perception that in-the-clinic appointments deliver better client outcomes than tele-audiology appointments.

Conclusions

The increased utilisation of tele-audiology services observed appears to be largely influenced by COVID-19 related factors (e.g. maintaining client and staff safety and increased funding). It is therefore possible that utilisation of tele-audiology service may drop once the threat of the pandemic has subsided. Perceived barriers relating to clients’ digital literacy and the effectiveness of tele-audiology services require attention to safeguard the future of tele-audiology service delivery in Australia.

Keywords:

• Tele-audiology
• manager
• clinic owner
• receptionist
• COVID
• audiology

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contributions of Audiology Australia and Australian College of Audiology for distributing recruitment invitations, all those who responded to the survey, and Rob Eikelboom for reviewing the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no relevant conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Department of Health, Australian Government, Audiology Australia, Australian College of Audiology and Soundfair.