An audiologist’s primary responsibilities are identifying customers with hearing loss, conducting proper evaluations, making accurate diagnoses, and providing appropriate solutions. This is done through a carefully constructed workflow, a proper series of tests, and personalized decisions based on each customer’s unique needs and the severity of their hearing loss.

Some audiologists consistently follow best-practice protocols and provide high-quality service, but others may rush through appointments, potentially skipping crucial tests, making assumptions, or relying on default decision-making. 

Audiologists – like other healthcare providers – sometimes make diagnostic errors. In fact, reports show that an astounding 10-15% of medical diagnoses are incorrect, according to an article in Hearing Health and Technology Matters. In hearing clinics – as in other healthcare settings – diagnostic errors may occur due to "clinical blind spots.”

For instance, an audiologist might make assumptions or swift decisions, either because they’re overconfident or because they’re rushing through appointments (or both!). Perhaps they're making incorrect decisions or diagnoses because they haven’t conducted a complete and thorough exam or followed the proper workflow to conduct all recommended tests. Or they aren’t following the proper steps to avoid errors. 

So, for clinic owners, managers, and heads of audiology: Do you know what really goes on in your hearing clinic? Do you have data (or other proof) that your clinicians consistently perform high-quality examinations, follow best practice workflows, conduct fittings properly, and recommend the most appropriate hearing aids for each customer’s specific needs? And is your clinic looking at (and using) this critical data to drive better business decisions? 

Our blog 'Excel in your hearing business with nudging' talked about the value of highlighted nudging, which can enhance hearing exams' quality, accuracy, and consistency. Now, we’ll explore another huge benefit of real-time assessment: centralized clinical auditing and detailed reports. 

Reports help hearing clinic owners, managers, and audiologists: 

• Access comprehensive patient data for knowledge management, quality assessment, and outcome analysis   
• Spot trends  
• Identify and rectify any issues or problems (including noncompliance) 
• Make more informed, data-based decisions  
• Develop and follow clinical best practices   
• Demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of care 
• Ensure that their clinicians are consistently adhering to the highest industry standards 

Having access to performance metrics provides a comprehensive view of what’s happening across the clinics to ensure that best practices are consistently being followed. Center owners and managers can get insights about their clinicians’ performance and how well they’re following best practice workflows. Detailed, data-driven reports provide information about clinical practice patterns, such as: 

• Which clinician performed each hearing exam 
• Which tests were performed during each exam 
• Whether clinical protocol and best practices were followed  
• Whether a clinician deviated from the proper workflow (and whether deviations are occasional or recurring) 
• How long the hearing exam took 
• The hearing exam outcome, e.g., diagnosis, proposed solution, whether the customer was fitted with a hearing aid, etc. 

A huge benefit to real-time quality assessment is the centralized, automated auditing of all audiology processes and clinical exams, allowing audiology centers to document and validate their clinical quality.

If the reports show deviations from best practice protocols, center owners, managers, and heads of audiology can immediately address and rectify any performance issues. Conversely, if they view positive reports, center leaders can have complete confidence in their clinicians’ performance, with data to demonstrate their higher efficiency and decreased errors.  

These reports provide concrete proof of performance – rather than relying on a center owner’s “gut feelings” that things are (or aren’t) going well.  

In addition to providing critical data about clinician performance and operational efficiency, Auditdata’s reports spotlight key metrics around business operations, including: 

• Show up rates 
• Cancel rates 
• Sales numbers/units sold 
• Return rates 
• Conversion rates 
• Capacity utilization 
• ...and more 

This allows clinic owners and managers to analyze data and make fact-based business decisions. For instance, if sales numbers rise (or drop) dramatically at a center, center leaders can look at reports to determine why.

Higher than average sales numbers might be due to an especially efficient, conscientious audiologist who follows the proper workflow, conducts the appropriate tests, makes a well-informed diagnosis based on test results, and provides the correct solutions to improve their customers’ hearing. 

Low sales numbers could indicate a disconnect between the audiologist and your protocols. If an audiologist isn’t measuring, fitting, and/or counseling customers properly, it could lead to dissatisfaction, poor sales, low conversions, and other unsatisfactory results. 

Read more about specific KPIs for different staff type in hearing care, from our blog: Setting effective objectives and KPIs for different staff types in hearing care