IHSThe International Hearing Society (IHS), which hosted the Annual IHS Convention & Expo September 8-10, 2016 in Chicago, is launching its first Tinnitus Care Provider Certificate Program on December 2-3, 2016 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Lakeside in Orlando, Fla. The 2-day workshop for hearing care professionals is based on a curriculum developed specifically by IHS in collaboration with world-renowned tinnitus expert Richard Tyler, PhD, MSc, and an oversight committee of industry experts.

“Tinnitus brings on a host of health problems,” said Dr Tyler. “This program provides hearing care professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to provide quality care and needed help to individuals with hearing loss who are also suffering from mild to moderate tinnitus.”

Tinnitus, the sensation of ringing, buzzing, whooshing or other sound in the ears or head affects millions of people around the world. Several studies indicate that approximately 10-15% of the adult population experiences chronic or persistent tinnitus. Nearly half of the people who hear persistent tinnitus are bothered by it, and in the general population, about one person in 200 believes that the tinnitus substantially reduces their quality of life.

The Tinnitus Care Provider Certificate Program curriculum focuses on tinnitus patient care involving the physiology, psychology, measurement, and management of the condition, and also covers establishing a tinnitus practice. Workshop attendees will receive numerous counseling strategies to combat the difficulties of dealing with tinnitus.

Dr Tyler, the certificate program instructor, is a clinical audiologist and a psychoacoustician who has directed research projects on tinnitus and cochlear implants for more than 25 years. He has edited three books on tinnitus and has hosted an annual tinnitus management conference for the last 24 years. Oversight committee members included audiologists, hearing aid specialists, educators, and researchers.

IHS built the program following the guidelines of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) Assessment-based Certificate Accreditation Program (ACAP). ICE is a leading developer of standards for both certification and certificate programs and it is both a provider of and a clearing house for information on trends in certification, test development and delivery, and assessment-based certificate programs.

Who can seek the Tinnitus Care Provider certificate?

Candidates seeking the certificate must be licensed, registered or certified hearing healthcare professionals with a minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience post-licensure. Licensed, registered or certified hearing healthcare professionals with less than two (2) years of experience, and students in the hearing healthcare professions may attend the program and sit for the exam. Upon obtaining licensure and completing a minimum of two (2) years of clinical experience, they will be awarded the Tinnitus Care Provider certificate. This program is approved for 16 hours of continuing education credit by the IHS, and has been submitted for approval to the American Academy of Audiology.

The International Hearing Society (IHS) is a membership association that represents hearing healthcare professionals worldwide. IHS members are engaged in the practice of testing human hearing and selecting, fitting and dispensing hearing instruments and counseling patients. Founded in 1951, the Society continues to recognize the need for promoting and maintaining the highest possible standards for its members in the best interests of the hearing impaired it serves. As the membership organization for thousands of independent specialists, IHS conducts programs in competency accreditation, education and training and encourages specialty-level programs for its members. For more information, visit the IHS website.

Source: International Hearing Society (IHS)