Telehealth cochlear implant programming in Chile yields outcomes comparable to in-person clinical care

Introduction: Remote programming can improve access and help overcome barriers related to distance, cost, and travel in the follow-up care of cochlear implant users. This study evaluates the ease of use, effectiveness, and acceptability of the remote programming system for cochlear implant users. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 14 adult participants. The first phase included in-person and remote programming sessions at the hospital, while the second focused on remote programming sessions in participants' homes. In each phase, speech perception with the created programs was evaluated in a soundproof booth. Subjective feedback was obtained from audiologists and users through customized questionnaires. Results: Speech scores indicated that both maps created remotely at the hospital (first phase of the study) and those created at home (second phase of the study) provided comprehension of phrases and words that was not inferior to that of the map created in person. Scores for disyllabic words with audiovisual cues, obtained through remote programming at home, were not inferior to those obtained through remote programming at the hospital. In the subjective evaluation, both participants and audiologists indicated that the experience with remote programming was satisfactory. Conclusions: Remote programming was found to be as effective as in-person programming, as it provided access to the programming parameters and objective measures used in in-person sessions. Speech recognition results were similar for programs created in person and remotely. Participants indicated that the remote programming method and the resulting program were useful and acceptable, and that they experienced similar ease and quality of communication.