Hearing help for Veterans in VA Emergency Departments
Official title: Hearing Impairment, Strategies and Outcomes in VA Emergency Departments
Funded at VA Medical Center · NIH-11333099 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | July 1, 2018 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX002421-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333099 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
VA Medical Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chodosh, Joshua — VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chodosh, Joshua
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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.