The Florida Senate

468.1225  Procedures, equipment, and protocols.--

(1)  The following minimal procedures shall be used when a licensed audiologist fits and sells a hearing aid:

(a)  Pure tone audiometric testing by air and bone to determine the type and degree of hearing deficiency when indicated.

(b)  Effective masking when indicated.

(c)  Appropriate testing to determine speech reception thresholds, speech discrimination scores, the most comfortable listening levels, uncomfortable loudness levels, and the selection of the best fitting arrangement for maximum hearing aid benefit when indicated.

(2)  The following equipment shall be used:

(a)  A wide range audiometer which meets the specifications of the American National Standards Institute for diagnostic audiometers when indicated.

(b)  A speech audiometer or a master hearing aid in order to determine the most comfortable listening level and speech discrimination when indicated.

(3)  A final fitting ensuring physical and operational comfort of the hearing aid shall be made when indicated.

(4)  A licensed audiologist who fits and sells hearing aids shall obtain the following medical clearance: If, upon inspection of the ear canal with an otoscope in the common procedure of fitting a hearing aid and upon interrogation of the client, there is any recent history of infection or any observable anomaly, the client shall be instructed to see a physician, and a hearing aid shall not be fitted until medical clearance is obtained for the condition noted. If, upon return, the condition noted is no longer observable and the client signs a medical waiver, a hearing aid may be fitted. Any person with a significant difference between bone conduction hearing and air conduction hearing must be informed of the possibility of medical or surgical correction.

(5)(a)  A licensed audiologist's office must have available, or have access to, a selection of hearing aid models, hearing aid supplies, and services complete enough to accommodate the various needs of the hearing aid wearers.

(b)  At the time of the initial examination for fitting and sale of a hearing aid, the attending audiologist must notify the prospective purchaser of the benefits of telecoil, also known as "t" coil or "t" switch, technology, including increased access to telephones and noninvasive access to assistive listening systems required under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

(6)  Unless otherwise indicated, each audiometric test conducted by a licensee or a certified audiology assistant in the fitting and selling of hearing aids shall be made in a testing room that has been certified by the department, or by an agent approved by the department, not to exceed the following sound pressure levels at the specified frequencies: 250Hz-40dB, 500Hz-40dB, 750Hz-40dB, 1000Hz-40dB, 1500Hz-42dB, 2000Hz-47dB, 3000Hz-52dB, 4000Hz-57dB, 6000Hz-62dB, and 8000Hz-67dB. An exception to this requirement shall be made in the case of a client who, after being provided written notice of the benefits and advantages of having the test conducted in a certified testing room, requests that the test be conducted in a place other than the licensee's certified testing room. Such request shall be documented by a waiver which includes the written notice and is signed by the licensee and the client prior to the testing. The waiver shall be executed on a form provided by the department. The executed waiver shall be attached to the client's copy of the contract, and a copy of the executed waiver shall be retained in the licensee's file.

(7)  The board shall have the power to prescribe the minimum procedures and equipment used in the conducting of hearing assessments and for the fitting and selling of hearing aids. The board shall adopt and enforce rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection and subsection (6).

(8)  Any duly authorized officer or employee of the department shall have the right to make such inspections and investigations as are necessary in order to determine the state of compliance with the provisions of this section and the applicable rules and may enter the premises of a licensee and inspect the records of same upon reasonable belief that a violation of this law is being or has been committed or that the licensee has failed or is failing to comply with the provisions of this part.

History.--ss. 13, 31, ch. 90-134; s. 21, ch. 90-341; ss. 1, 10, ch. 90-345; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 104, ch. 92-149; ss. 187, 330, ch. 94-119; s. 3, ch. 94-160.