Definitions

As used in this article 210, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Audiologist" means a person engaged in the practice of audiology. (2) (a) "Hearing aid" means any wearable instrument or device designed or offered to aid or compensate for impaired human hearing and any parts, attachments, or accessories to the instrument or device, including ear molds but excluding batteries and cords. (b) "Hearing aid" does not include a surgically implanted hearing device. (3) "Practice of audiology" means: (a) (I) The application of principles, methods, and procedures related to the development, disorders, and conditions of the human auditory-vestibular system, whether those disorders or conditions are of organic or functional origin, including disorders of hearing, balance, tinnitus, auditory processing, and other neural functions, as those principles, methods, and procedures are taught in accredited programs in audiology. (II) The principles, methods, or procedures include diagnosis, assessment, measurement, testing, appraisal, evaluation, rehabilitation, treatment, prevention, conservation, identification, consultation, counseling, intervention, management, interpretation, instruction, and research related to hearing, vestibular function, balance and fall prevention, and associated neural systems, and any abnormal condition related to tinnitus, auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing, speech, language, or other aberrant behavior resulting from hearing loss, for the purpose of diagnosing, designing, and implementing audiological management and treatment or other programs for the amelioration of human auditory-vestibular system disorders and conditions. (b) Prescribing, selecting, specifying, evaluating, assisting in the adjustment to, and dispensing of prosthetic devices for hearing loss, including hearing aids and hearing assistive devices by means of specialized audiometric equipment or by any other means accepted by the director; (c) Determining work-related hearing loss or impairment, as defined by federal regulations; (d) Prevention of hearing loss; and (e) Consulting with, and making referrals to, a physician when appropriate. (4) "Surgically implanted hearing device" means a device that is designed to produce useful hearing sensations to a person with a hearing impairment and that has, as one or more components, a unit that is surgically implanted into the ear, skull, or other interior part of the body. The term includes any associated unit that may be worn on the body.