Interpretive Report in Automated Diagnostic Hearing Test

Abstract

A multimedia user interface for an automated diagnostic hearing test allows a patient to interact with the automated hearing test in order to conduct various hearing related tests. The patient is given instructions and guidance for every test, and can call the operator at any time for help. Warning messages and progress indicators are provided to help the patient gauge his progress. This allows the patient to test his own hearing with minimal or no assistance from an audiologist or other hearing health professional. The user interface also allows the operator to configure and customize the automated hearing test as needed. The results of the hearing related tests are summarized in a single report that is concise, convenient, and thorough. The report may include interpretive comments that point out possible inconsistencies, asymmetries, or areas of concern in the test results and, where appropriate, also recommend certain types of medical treatment.

1 . A method of presenting a patient's hearing test results in an automated diagnostic hearing test, comprising: 
 presenting the patient's hearing test results from the automated diagnostic hearing test on a report;    presenting one or more interpretive comments on the report based on the patient's hearing test results, the one or more interpretive comments pointing out possible inconsistencies, asymmetries, or areas of concern in the test results; and    presenting one or more medical recommendations on the report based on the patient's hearing test results and the one or more interpretive comments.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the patient's hearing test results are presented in graphical form.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising presenting one or more quality and/or reliability indicators with the patient's hearing test results.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising presenting one or more masking indicators with the patient's hearing test results.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the patient's hearing test results include results from at least one of the following tests: pure tone threshold, speech reception, speech discrimination, tympanogram, distortion product-otoacoustic emissions.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the interpretive comments include at least a degree of hearing loss and a type of hearing loss.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the type of hearing loss is derived based on a plurality of air-bone gap rules.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more medical recommendations include at least one of the following types of medical recommendations: medical referral/treatment, amplification, hearing conservation, and re-testing.  
   
   
       9 . A system for reporting a patient's hearing test results in an automated diagnostic hearing test, comprising: 
 transducers, including an air conduction transducer and a bone conduction transducer;    a hearing test device connected to the transducers;    a computer connected to the hearing test device and storing a user interface for an automated hearing test thereon, the user interface configured to cause the computer to: 
 present the patient's hearing test results from the automated diagnostic hearing test on the report;  
 present one or more interpretive comments on the report based on the patient's hearing test results, the one or more interpretive comments pointing out possible inconsistencies, asymmetries, or areas of concern in the test results; and  
 present one or more medical recommendations on the report based on the patient's hearing test results and the one or more interpretive comments.  
   
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is further configured to cause the computer to present one or more of the patient's hearing test in graphical form.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is further configured to cause the computer to present one or more quality and/or reliability indicators with the patient's hearing test results.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is further configured to cause the computer to present one or more masking indicators with the patient's hearing test results.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the patient's hearing test results include results from at least one of the following tests: pure tone threshold, speech reception, speech discrimination, tympanogram, distortion product-otoacoustic emissions.  
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the interpretive comments include at least a degree of hearing loss and a type of hearing loss.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the type of hearing loss is derived based on a plurality of air-bone gap rules.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more medical recommendations include at least one of the following types of medical recommendations: medical referral/treatment, amplification, hearing conservation, and re-testing.  
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for generating interpretive comments in an automated diagnostic hearing test, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for: 
 receiving a patient's hearing test results from the automated diagnostic hearing test;    generating one or more interpretive comments based on the patient's hearing test results, the one or more interpretive comments including at least a degree of hearing loss and a type of hearing; and    generating one or more medical recommendations based on the patient's hearing test results and the one or more interpretive comments.    
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions for generating one or more quality and/or reliability indicators for the patient's hearing test results.  
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the type of hearing loss is derived based on a plurality of air-bone gap rules.  
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the one or more medical recommendations include at least one of the following types of medical recommendations: medical referral/treatment, amplification, hearing conservation, and re-testing.