Teleaudiology Explained: Pros and Cons to Know

Better connection to specialists

People like Brennen, who have complex hearing conditions, can use teleaudiology to see experts who may not be available in their local communities. Brennen says she visited multiple doctors in Pennsylvania, but none specialized in tinnitus. Treble Health connected her with specialists who not only understood her condition but also lived it themselves.

“Most people would not drive more than 30 or 45 minutes for a doctor’s appointment,” says Ben Thompson, an audiologist in San Francisco and founder of Treble Health. “Now, with telehealth, you can meet with someone who’s a specialist who may be in a different city or different state, but you can have that visit and have that specialized care.”

Comparable clinical outcomes

Research shows that telehealth audiology can deliver most hearing aid services without compromising on quality.

In a 2023 study, Egyptian researchers compared remote and in-person hearing aid fittings and found no significant differences in patient satisfaction. Similarly, a 2023 study published in BMC Digital Health found that remote fittings — including programming and adjustments — worked just as well as traditional in-clinic appointments.

Convenience and efficiency

Seeing your audiologist from home saves time and lets you avoid the hassle of going into a clinic. That’s especially helpful for patients who have mobility challenges, such as those who have difficulty driving or who use a wheelchair. It also makes it easier for those living with caregivers or in nursing homes to get their hearing aids adjusted and tuned without going back and forth to the doctor.

“People are busy,” Thompson says. “They don’t want to have to drive 30 minutes, wait in a waiting room for 20 minutes, drive home for 30 minutes and take time off work when they can instead do it from home and it takes 30 minutes total.”  

Device support for real-life situations

Cristobal says some of the best fine-tuning for hearing aids happens outside the clinic, in the real-world locations where hearing loss actually causes problems.

Cristobal says she sometimes asks patients to return to a spot where they’ve struggled to hear — like a busy café — and connect with her for a video appointment so she can tweak their settings on the spot. “For really tricky environments, it can be a game-changer,” she says.

Limitations and challenges of teleaudiology

While teleaudiology offers convenience and access, it does have limitations, especially for complex care.

You still need an in-person hearing test

No matter what hearing issue you have, it’s important to start with an in-person hearing assessment, Cristobal and Thompson say.

“I have seen people who bought hearing aids online, and it turned out they just had a lot of ear wax that needed to come out,” Cristobal says. “I really want folks to have someone who knows what they are doing to look in their ears.”

While online hearing tests are available, the American Academy of Audiology says they are not a replacement for a comprehensive hearing assessment. A proper evaluation requires someone to look in your ears and test your hearing with specialized equipment in a sound-treated room.

The doctor can’t look in your ear

During an in-person visit, audiologists check for physical problems in your ears with a lighted, magnifying device. Issues such as impacted ear wax, infections, drainage, skin infections or other medical problems can be tough to identify remotely.

“If there is ear pain or ear wax or something stuck in the ear, we can’t see it,” Thompson says. “If we have concerns of that, we would tell the patient to come into the clinic.”

New systems that send equipment to patients’ homes and use artificial intelligence to evaluate for those conditions are in development, but Cristobal says they aren’t reliable yet.

Technology barriers and concerns

Of course, technology can always be an issue. You need a stable internet connection, a compatible device and basic tech skills to navigate virtual hearing care platforms. And as with any online service, using teleaudiology comes with privacy and safety considerations.

Not suitable for all hearing issues

Some patients with advanced hearing loss or unusual ear conditions may need in-depth evaluations and device fittings that can only be performed in-office. If you need custom-molded hearing aids, for instance, you’ll need an in-person visit so your audiologist can take an ear impression.

A hybrid approach

Many audiology practices these days offer both in-person and remote services. For example, Treble Health has four clinics across the country, but it also works with patients who send in the results of a local in-person hearing test, Thompson says.

For patients like Brennen, teleaudiology wasn’t just about convenience — it was about getting her life back. She says Treble Health gave her access to hearing aids that serve as effective tinnitus maskers and group support meetings with others who have the same condition.

“They gave me hope that the tinnitus could be managed to the extent that I could still live a happy, successful life.”

• Choose a well-lit spot in a quiet space.
• Set up your computer’s camera at eye-level so your head and shoulders are on-screen.
• Your provider will usually send you a text or email with directions on how to start your session. Be sure to have that link to open your session.
• Connect to your session several minutes early to make sure your internet is working properly.
• Once you’re logged in to the session, adjust your lighting, sound and camera, if necessary.
• Come prepared with written questions and concerns.
• Let your provider know if you’re having difficulty hearing or understanding them.