The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recognize optimal patient-provider communication as a key to improving health care outcomes. Patient-provider communication has been associated with improved patient satisfaction, treatment adherence and other health outcomes. Despite the impact of hearing loss on communication, hearing is rarely addressed in the context of patient-provider communication. Given that nearly 2 out of 3 older adults has a meaningful hearing impairment, addressing hearing in the context of patient-provider encounters could improve communication and health care outcomes.

Center researcher Nicholas Reed leads initiatives to address hearing loss as a barrier to communication in health care settings via screening and intervention programs embodied in the ENHANCE intervention. These include universal screening of adults admitted to the hospital and the provision of amplification and/or use of communication strategies among hospital providers and the provision of amplification and/or  use of communication strategies among hospital and staff when appropriate. Similarly, Reed and Carrie Nieman are actively engaged in characterizing the role of hearing loss in health care literacy.