eHealth and mHealth for Audiologic Rehabilitation

Words such as eHealth (electronic health) and mHealth (mobile health) have gradually become part of our daily life vocabularies. An increasing number of novel digital solutions and services is being integrated into clinical practice and the daily life of patients and citizens - and the area of audiologic rehabilitation is no exception. As a general introduction to these themes, in the first part of this chapter the general definitions of eHealth and mHealth and the core characteristics that make them unique compared to earlier solutions are presented. Also, the potential benefits and challenges of these novel solutions are discussed, as well as the multifaceted concept of quality, that is imperative for use with these solutions in the clinic. In the second part of this chapter, a detailed insight into the latest trends in eHealth in the area of audiologic rehabilitation is presented and the available evidence discussed, as related to the various platforms for service delivery (offline-, internet-based, and mobile-based platforms) and the several solutions and services available throughout the client/patient journey (education & counseling; screening & assessment; and hearing rehabilitation).