(a) A licensed audiologist or registered hearing aid dealer shall refer a patient to a physician if the audiologist or hearing aid dealer determines by any method that the patient has or might have any of the following conditions:

1. (1) Visible congenital or traumatic deformity of the outer ear;
2. (2) History of active drainage from the ear within the previous 90 days;
3. (3) History of sudden or rapidly progressive hearing loss with the previous 90 days;
4. (4) Acute or chronic dizziness;
5. (5) Unilateral hearing loss of sudden or recent onset with the previous 90 days;
6. (6) Audiometric air-bone gap equal to or greater than 15 decibels at 500Hz, 1000Hz, and 2000Hz;
7. (7) Visible evidence of significant cerumen accumulation or a foreign body in the ear canal; or
8. (8) Pain or discomfort in the ear.

(b) An audiologist or hearing aid dealer shall have a duty to inquire or otherwise determine whether any of the conditions listed in (a) above are present.

Source. #14311, eff 7-10-25, EXPIRES: 7-10-35

APPENDIX A

Rule

Statute Implemented

Sphc 501 through Sphc 504

RSA 541-A:7, RSA 328-F:11, II(b)

Sphc 503.02

RSA 541-A:12, VII

APPENDIX B

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE INFORMATION

Rule

Title

Obtain at:

Sphc 503.01

American Speech-Language Hearing Association Code of Ethics

Effective March 1, 2023

American Speech-Language Hearing Association

Obtain online www.asha.org/policy

Cost: None