Hearing Aid Specialists, Board of

Hearing Aid Specialists, Board of

Chapter 7: Professional Responsibility

Effective Date: 06/23/1995 to 04/10/2015

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 064.0001.7.06231995

CHAPTER 7

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Section 1. Ethical Standards. The protection of the public health, safety and welfare and the best interest of the public shall be the primary guide in determining the appropriate professional conduct of all persons whose activities are regulated by the Board. Persons licensed or permitted by the Board shall:

1. (a) Practice in a manner that is in the best interest of the public and does not endanger the public health, safety or welfare.
2. (b) Be able to justify all services rendered to consumers as necessary for diagnostic purposes.
3. (c) Practice only within the competency areas for which they are licensed or permitted.
4. (d) Report to the Board known or suspected violations of the laws and regulations governing the practice of licensed professionals.
5. (e) Ensure that consumers are aware of fees and billing arrangements before rendering services.
6. (f) Provide consumers with accurate and complete information regarding the extent and nature of services available to them.
7. (g) Respect the privacy of consumers and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service.
8. (h) Disclose consumer records to others only with the expressed written consent of the consumer or as required by law.
9. (i) When advertising their services to the public, ensure that such advertising is neither fraudulent nor misleading.
10. (j) Not practice, facilitate or condone discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, nation origin, marital status, political belief, mental or physical handicap or other preferences or characteristics.
11. (k) Respond to all requests for information and all other correspondence from the Board.
12. (l) Display their license at all times in a conspicuous location readily accessible to all consumers at each of the licensee's or permittee's place of business.
13. (m) File the name and street address of the business with the Board.

(n) Use the business street address in all business advertisements, correspondence and any verbal communications with the consumer.

(o) Use the place of business in providing services to the consumer and to maintain consumer documents, records and files.

(p) Be available to the consumer to whom a hearing aid has been sold, in order to make necessary adjustments or to provide instruction or information about the hearing aid.

(q) Allow the Board or an authorized representative of the Board to inspect sales receipts, audiograms and any other documents related to testing for and fitting of hearing aids on receipt of a relevant complaint or to review adequate supervision of a temporary permittee.

(r) If the licensee is an owner of a hearing aid business, list with the Board the names of all licensees and permittees working out of the same place of business.

(s) Fit each new hearing aid in person unless the aid is one of the same make and model as a previously owned hearing aid.

(t) Refer each consumer to a licensed physician, preferably a physician who specializes in diseases of the ear, or provide a waiver of this referral to be signed by the consumer on a form separate from the receipt, in accordance with W.S. 33-35-105(b).

(u) Provide a receipt to each person supplied with a hearing aid in accordance with W.S. 33-35-104.

(v) Consider that the date of sale is the date of delivery of the hearing aid.

Section 2. Change of Name, Address or Telephone Number.

(a) Licensees and permittees must register with the Board any change in their legal name within thirty (30) days of the change, must submit documentation demonstrating the change of name, and must surrender the old certificate(s) and a new certificate(s) shall be issued by the Board.

(b) Each applicant, licensee and permittee must file with the Board in writing their current street and mailing address for both home and business and telephone numbers within thirty (30) days of the change.

Section 3. Grounds for Disciplinary Action. The Board is authorized to suspend or revoke the license of any person violating provisions of the Act pursuant to W.S. 33-35-118(v). The following are grounds for the suspension or revocation of a hearing aid specialist license or permit:

(a) Willful violation of any provision of the Hearing Aid Specialist Licensure Act, W.S. 33-35-101 through 121.

(b) Willful violation of any provision of these rules and regulations.