Could my patient benefit from cochlear implants?
Only 5% of US adults who could benefit from cochlear implants get treatment
Cochlear implants are an effective treatment option for patients with moderate to profound hearing loss. New advancements in implant technology enable cochlear implants to reach more patients than ever before with treatment, yet most patients who could benefit from cochlear implants do not seek treatment. If treatment is not recommended by an audiologist or other provider, patients may be unaware of their candidacy and options.
*This provides a recommendation only of when an adult may be referred for a cochlear implant evaluation, but does not guarantee candidacy based on indications.
1. Zwolan TA, Schvartz-Leyzac KC, Pleasant T. Development of a 60/60 guideline for referring adults for a traditional Cochlear implant candidacy evaluation. Otol Neurotol 2020; 4t:895-900
Your patients may benefit if they:
Suffer from moderate to profound hearing loss.
Receive limited benefit from hearing aids.
Have no medical conditions that put them at risk during surgery.
When to consider cochlear implant evaluation for adults.
If your patient meets ANY of the criteria below, consider referring them for a full cochlear implant evaluation
Audibility
Pure tone average greater than or equal to 60dB¹ in the better ear (0.5, 1k, 2 kHz)
Word Recognition
Unaided Word Recognition Score less than or equal to 60%¹ in the better ear
Daily Interactions
Does your patient experience ANY of the following:
- Struggle to hear on the phone
- Have difficulty understanding unfamiliar speakers
- Withdraw from social events
- Often need others to repeat themselves
FDA criteria to determine patient candidacy for cochlear implants
FDA criteria for cochlear implants
Referral Criteria & Candidacy Resources
How to use the New Referral Feature in the Sycle Software
Many cochlear implant recipients could benefit from a bimodal hearing solution (a hearing aid + cochlear implant). If your patient is struggling to hear with their hearing aids and their word recognition score is 40% or less in either ear […]
New Video
Clinic Owners Share Stories of Increasing Referrals
Making a cochlear implant referral may seem like a net loss of a patient, but real-life results say otherwise. In this video, three board certified hearing instrument specialists — clinic owners Toby Hill, Dennis Thomas and Joe Bartlett — […]
60-60 Guideline Counseling Resource Helps Answer Patient Questions. Free digital and printed guide.
You may have seen the published study outlining when to refer a patient for a cochlear implant evaluation and followed the 60-60 guidelines. What happens next? When you recommend a patient be seen for a cochlear implant evaluation, there are […]
The Link Between Hearing Loss & Other Conditions
Over the last couple of months, we shared with you consumers’ understanding of hearing loss and what can be considered normal hearing. And, as hearing care professionals, the goal of educating your patients on the risks of leaving hearing loss […]
Hearing Health Collaborative: Understanding Hearing Loss
Can your patients tell you what “normal hearing” is? Most likely they know what normal vision and blood pressure are, as that’s ingrained in us at such a young age. It’s no wonder that patients deprioritize managing their hearing health when […]
Hearing Health Collaborative: Prioritizing & Managing Hearing Health
In April, we shared with you consumers’ understanding of hearing loss and what can be considered normal hearing. Beyond their understanding of hearing loss, respondents were surveyed about where they prioritize health conditions and life activities, and how they manage […]
Patient-Focused Care: When it’s time to begin discussing CI with your patient.
We recently sat down with Dr. Ken Martin, Au.D., of Ken Martin Audiology, to learn how using the CI feature in Sycle enables him to counsel his patients for their best possible hearing. Our Continuum of Care interview, ‘Patient-Focused Care: […]
60-60 Cochlear Implant Referral Criteria for Adults
Dr. Terry Zwolan, former Director of The University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program and current Director of Audiology at Hearing First, recently published a study that evaluated when to refer patients for a cochlear implant evaluation. We wanted to understand […]
Expanding Your Services to Meet the Growing Needs of Patients
Dr. Joanie Davis, F-AAA, CCC-A, Board Certified Doctor of Audiology and owner of Davis Family Hearing, had a big dilemma on her hands – was there anything else she could do to help patients struggling with hearing aids? That’s when […]
Cochlear Provider Network Professional Testimonial: Joanie Davis (Part 4)
Implementing CI services into your practice can bring about many benefits to the clinic. Practice Differentiation, continued learning, additional referrals, being a part of a medical model are among a few. In the final video of our 4-part series, Joanie […]