HEARING INSTRUMENT TECHNOLOGY Florida Hospital Hearing Centers are committed to providing the latest hearing instrument technology. It is our goal to assist patients in improving their communication ability in everyday listening environments. Through testing and discussion with our patients, our staff provides recommendations to help meet each patients communication needs. Different levels of hearing instrument technology, ranging from conventional to completely digital technology, are available at Florida Hospital Hearing Centers. Different styles of hearing aids are also available from behind the ear hearing aids to aids that go completely in the canal. DIAGNOSTIC HEARING EVALUATION Florida Hospital Hearing Centers provide comprehensive audiological evaluations for adults and children of all ages. Audiologists at Florida Hospital Hearing Centers utilize state-of-the-art technology for the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing and balance disorders. In addition to the conventional hearing evaluation battery, Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE), Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), Electrocochleography (ECoG), and Electronystagmography (ENG) are also available with a physicians prescription. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, our staff works together to provide patients with the highest degree of hearing healthcare possible. INFANT HEARING SCREENINGS Florida Hospital provides hearing screenings for all infants born at our hospitals. In addition, we provide outpatient testing for infants in need of further evaluation and management. Audiologists, using non-invasive Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) testing, perform the outpatient infant screenings and provide further recommendations for management should a diagnosis of a hearing loss be made. AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDERS (APD) This test provides diagnosis and management for children and adults with processing disorders. Auditory processing can best be described as what the brain does with what the ears hear. A disorder occurs when the brain does not process information arriving from the ears correctly. Difficulty with academic achievement in light of normal IQ is typically seen. In most cases a clinical audiologist and speech language pathologist provide a team approach to management. TINNITUS AND HYPERACUSIS MANAGEMENT At Florida Hospital Hearing Centers, we provide diagnosis and treatment for patients with tinnitus (ringing or other noises in the ears) and hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to sounds). Upon diagnosis, our team of audiologists will work to maximize treatment efforts that may reduce the impact of tinnitus and hyperacusis. BALANCE/DIZZINESS EVALUATION In a joint effort with the Vestibular and Balance Management Program and our physicians, the Audiology team evaluates patients with balance/dizziness disorders in an effort to provide a well-rounded treatment plan. Evaluation may include Electronystagmography (ENG/VNG), a test used to diagnose the cause of vertigo, dizziness or balance dysfunction by testing the vestibular system, and Electrocochleography (ECoG) testing, a non-invasive procedure that tests for Menieres disease, and is performed at the majority of the hearing centers in our system.