Overview
Hearing aid specialists recommend, select or adapt hearing aids and may alter, adjust or reconstruct hearing aid specifications for functionality, such as taking ear impressions for proper fit.
A hearing aid is defined under Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 694.015(3) as any prosthetic instrument or device designed for or represented as aiding, improving or correcting defective human hearing and any parts, attachments or accessories of such an instrument or device.
Hearing aids are not, however, devices for treating or correcting hearing impairment that are surgically implanted, such as cochlear implants.
In addition, HLO has statutory authority to uphold the contractual rights granted to consumers of hearing aids in Oregon who purchase their hearing aids from hearing aid specialists.
What You Need to Know
Scope of Practice Questions
Do you have a question about how a law or rule impacts your individualized practice? Please know that the Health Licensing Office (HLO) and its boards do not provide individualized advice on how the law applies to practice in the field. Here are some resources:
- If you are looking for an attorney to provide you with legal advice about the statutes and rules governing your licensure, the Oregon State Bar has information on how to hire a lawyer.
- If you wish to make a complaint against a person for violating HLO and the board's statutes or rules, you may use this complaint form.
- If you wish to make a public comment on the statutes and rules governing your licensure, interested party feedback is encouraged at all public meetings.
- Guidance on how to obtain a license is available on the HLO website.
- If you believe HLO and the board's rules need to be amended, you may file a rule petition with HLO for consideration. Please note that any rules must fit within HLO and the board's current statutory authority. Please also know that the board will consider your position but might not adopt your proposed rule. The statute that governs rule petitions is ORS 183.390.
- If you believe HLO and the board's statutes need to be amended, information about the legislative process is also available on the Oregon Legislature's website.
Please know the HLO and its boards remain neutral on substantive bills proposing changes to its laws and cannot act on your behalf in any proposals to change the governing statutes.
Tinnitus Rules and FAQ's
The tinnitus Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR)
331-670-0010(11), and
331-670-0020(1)(c),
went into effect on July 1, 2018. Those rules were adopted after a lengthy
public comment period. The rules provided clarity to licensees regarding their
scope of practice, which is set forth in Oregon statute.
For a bit of background, the first FAQ on tinnitus was released on July 15,
2015. It explained that a hearing aid specialist cannot diagnose or treat
tinnitus. Given that a hearing aid specialist cannot diagnose or treat tinnitus,
what can a hearing aid specialist do in relation to the condition? The new rules
address that question and, those rules are also addressed in the new FAQ's on
tinnitus, dated July 9, 2018.
For statute and rule review, visit the
Laws and Rules page for the Advisory Council on hearing
Aids.
To compare the 2015 and 2018 FAQ's, please visit the links below:
Questions?
For questions, please call (503) 378-8667, or go to the Health Licensing Office Contact Us page to search for staff that specialize in specific areas of expertise.