PP1103 - Increasing Access to Two-Tester Sessions in the Pediatric Setting

Abstract:
Increased access to two-tester sessions with both provider's having a full schedule.

Summary:
Pediatric patients benefit from the availability of a test-assist in varying degrees. Young children need more redirection or varied approaches to stay on task during a test session as well as praise to keep going. When a single tester has a young child who needs additional support during the task is in the testing suite it is difficult to engage the child in the patient suite. Sites often elect to not have two providers assigned to one hearing test schedule for fear of losing out on productivity and billing of the second provider. Our site has created a schedule to maximize the use of a test-assist while not compromising the productivity and billing of the second provider. The hearing tests in our clinic are scheduled for 45 minutes. Our scheduling template for this increased access schedules the hearing tests on the hour of each provider, which is off-set by a half hour of the other provider (i.e. first provider has a schedule starting at 0730, the second provider has a schedule starting at 0800). Both providers are then available to help the other during the appointment time with centering during Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) or as an assist during Conditioned Play Audiometry (CPA). This not only provides access to more patients being served in a day but has also allowed us to achieve more test results from patients. For example, with a test assist during VRA we have been able to obtain ear-specific information more often than if we only had one provider for the test session because one person is available to distract the patient from taking headphones out or help them learn the task in the booth. During CPA we have been able to expand the number of frequencies obtained during a single test session.