Hearing help for Veterans in VA Emergency Departments
Hearing Impairment, Strategies and Outcomes in VA Emergency Departments
This project gives hearing-assistance devices to older Veterans with hearing loss who visit VA emergency departments to help them understand care and discharge instructions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11333099 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are an older Veteran with hearing loss who comes to the VA emergency department, researchers may offer you a hearing-assistance device during your visit. The team will use these devices in the noisy ED environment and ask brief questions to see whether you understand your diagnosis and discharge instructions. They will track whether improved communication leads to safer care transitions, such as fewer return ED visits or hospitalizations. The study includes follow-up to see how well instructions were understood and followed after you leave the ED.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older Veterans with measurable hearing loss who present to participating VA emergency departments, especially those who do not regularly use hearing aids.
Not a fit: Patients without hearing loss, those who already use effective hearing aids during ED visits, or those with severe cognitive impairment that prevents device use may not receive benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help older Veterans with hearing loss understand ED care better and reduce missed instructions and repeat visits.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies show communication aids and amplification can improve understanding in clinic and hospital settings, but using hearing devices specifically in busy EDs is less tested.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- VA Medical Center — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chodosh, Joshua — VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chodosh, Joshua
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.