# US 2022/0036760 A1 · Adaptive and interactive education and communication system for people with hearing loss and hearing healthcare professionals and related methods

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- Number: US 2022/0036760 A1
- Document ID: US20220036760A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/503,510
- Filed: 2021-10-18
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-21
- Assignees: Healthcare Technologies and Methods, LLC
- Applicants: Healthcare Technologies and Methods, LLC
- Inventors: Alan Letzt; Stephanie Letzt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220036760A1

## CPC

- G09B 19/00: Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26)
- G16H 10/20: for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
- A61B 5/123: {subjective methods}
- A61B 5/4833: {Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment}
- G09B 7/00: Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers (mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F)
- G16H 20/00: ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
- G16H 80/00: ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
- H04R 25/70: {Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting}
- A61B 5/0022: {Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet}
- A61B 5/4842: {Monitoring progression or stage of a disease}
- H04R 2225/55: Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

A system, device, and wireless computer technology-implemented method for providing hearing healthcare education and communication for a patient, his/her communication partner, and a hearing care provider. The system provides the patient at least one educational and experiential module and a method for assessing the patient's comprehension of the module's lessons. The system further provides the patient with a method to select personal hearing aid and communication goals; a method to evaluate his/her progress on achieving each personal goal; and a method to report his/her hearing experiences. The system further provides a method to compare data reported by the patient to personalized thresholds. When one or more of the patient's reports do not meet the thresholds, the system sends automated alerts to the hearing care provider to encourage prompt remedial action and sends automated reminders to the patient to improve the patient's ability to achieve his/her personal goals.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-37. (canceled)

### Claim 38

A system for providing adaptive, integrated, and interactive hearing healthcare education and communication, comprising:
at least one storage device storing instructions; and
at least one computer processor configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via a hearing healthcare provider computing device, initial patient data, the initial patient data including one or more values identifying an patient and a hearing aid used by the patient;
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, individualized healthcare rules from a hearing healthcare provider, each of the individualized healthcare rules being defined for the patient;
transmitting a request for input patient data related to the patient based on the individualized healthcare rules to a display device for display;
providing on the patient computing device a remote control interface that allows a patient to navigate the system and respond to the request for the input patient data;
receiving the input patient data in response to the request displayed on the display device by using the remote control interface;
storing the input patient data in the at least one storage device;
for each of the individualized healthcare rules:
comparing the input patient data to a threshold value of the corresponding individualized healthcare rule to determine a threshold comparison decision defined by the individualized healthcare rule; and
based on the threshold comparison decision, automatically providing at least one message to bring the patient into compliance with the individualized healthcare rule,
wherein the individualized healthcare rules include one or more of patient system usage rules, patient education rules, and patient hearing aid experience rules.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the comparing the input patient data to the individualized healthcare rule to determine the threshold comparison decision further includes:
comparing the input patient data to a threshold value of the individualized healthcare rule to determine if the input patient data is equal to or greater than the threshold value;
storing a result of the comparing as result data in the at least one storage device; and
when the input patient data is determined not to be equal to or greater than the threshold value, transmitting the at least one message to at least one of a hearing healthcare provider computing device or the patient computing device.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the comparing the input patient data to the individualized healthcare rule to determine the threshold comparison decision further includes:
comparing the input patient data to a threshold value of the individualized healthcare rule to determine if the input patient data is equal to or greater than the threshold value;
storing a result of the comparing as result data in the at least one storage device; and
when the input patient data is determined to be equal to or greater than the threshold value, transmitting at least one message to at least one of the hearing healthcare provider computing device or the patient computing device.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, an educational and experiential module; and
displaying the educational and experiential module on the display device,
wherein the educational and experiential module includes an educational video and the input patient data includes responses to questions about a content of the education video.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, an educational and experiential module based on the individualized healthcare rules received from the hearing healthcare provider computing device; and
displaying the educational and experiential module on the display device,
wherein the educational and experiential module includes a request for patient input regarding use of the hearing aid and the input patient data includes responses related to an amount of time the hearing aid is worn by the patient, a perceived comfort level of the hearing aid worn by the patient, and a perceived sound quality of the hearing aid worn by the patient.

### Claim 43 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38,
wherein the input patient data includes responses related to at least one of a hearing aid wear time value reflecting an amount of time the hearing aid is worn by the patient, a hearing aid comfort value reflecting a perceived comfort level of the hearing aid worn by the patient, or a hearing aid sound quality value reflecting a perceived sound quality the hearing aid worn by the patient, and
wherein the individualized healthcare rules comprise threshold values related to a use of the hearing aid, the threshold values including at least one of a hearing aid wear time threshold value, a hearing aid comfort threshold value, or a hearing aid sound quality threshold value.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The system of claim 43, wherein the comparing the input patient data to the individualized healthcare rules includes at least one of:
comparing the hearing aid wear time value with the hearing aid wear time threshold value,
comparing the hearing aid comfort value with the hearing aid comfort threshold value, or
comparing the hearing aid sound quality value with the hearing aid sound quality threshold value.

### Claim 45 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
storing initial patient data in the at least one storage device; and
storing the individualized healthcare rules in the at least one storage device.

### Claim 46 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
collecting system usage data of a hearing healthcare education and communication system, the system usage data measuring usage of the hearing healthcare education and communication system by the patient and usage of at least one specific feature of the hearing healthcare education and communication system;
comparing the system usage data to a corresponding set of threshold values;
determining how the system usage data compares to the corresponding set of threshold values;
storing the system usage data and a result of the comparing in the at least one storage device; and
based on the result of the determining, determining whether to send the at least one message to the at least one of the hearing healthcare provider computing device and the patient computing device.

### Claim 47 (depends on 46)

The system of claim 46, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising at least one of:
providing, via the patient computing device, one or more patient reports, wherein the one or more patient reports include the patient usage data; and
providing, via the provider computing device, one or more provider reports, wherein the one or more provider reports include the provider usage data.

### Claim 48 (depends on 46)

The system of claim 46, wherein the system usage data includes at least one of:
a number of times that at least one feature of the system is accessed via the patient computing device,
a number of specific features of the system that are accessed via the patient computing device, or
a number of specific features of the system that are accessed via the patient computing device within a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 49 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, further comprising:
a cloud communications platform configured to, upon a request from the hearing healthcare education and communication system, automatically send one or more of outgoing interactive phone calls, text messages, and emails to patients and hearing healthcare providers, for at least one of reminders and notifications,
wherein the cloud communications platform is further configured to receive incoming phone calls and text messages from the patients and the hearing healthcare providers to initiate interactive survey questionnaires, and
wherein responses from the patient and the hearing healthcare provider in response to the outgoing interactive phone calls, text messages, and emails and the interactive survey questionnaires are stored in the at least one storage device.

### Claim at position 14

-80. (canceled)

### Claim 81 (depends on 39)

The system of claim 39, further comprising:
when the input patient data is determined to be equal to or greater than the threshold value, determining that a personal goal of the patient has been achieved and said personal goal will no longer be displayed for patient evaluation.

### Claim 82 (depends on 41)

The system of claim 41, further comprising:
when the response to a question has been answered correctly a minimum number of times, determining that the question will not be displayed again for the patient in future viewings of the educational video.

### Claim 83 (depends on 39)

The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one message includes at least one of an email, a text message, or a phone call.

### Claim 84

A system for providing adaptive, integrated, and interactive hearing healthcare education and communication, comprising:
at least one storage device storing data and instructions;
at least one computer processor configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via a hearing healthcare provider computing device, initial patient data, the initial patient data including one or more values identifying a patient and a hearing aid used by the patient;
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, individualized healthcare rules from a hearing healthcare provider, the individualized healthcare rules being defined for the patient;
providing, to a patient computing device, a set of goals related to at least one of communication capabilities and use of a hearing aid;
transmitting the set of goals to a display device for display;
receiving, from the patient computing device, input data defining a subset of the set of the goals;
storing, in the at least one storage device, the subset of the set of the goals as personal goals of the patient;
providing, to the patient computing device, at least one educational and experiential module related to the personal goals;
transmitting the at least one educational and experiential module to the display device for display;
determining a hearing aid achievement of the patient, the hearing aid achievement corresponding to at least one of a use of the at least one educational and experiential module by the patient and a level of achievement of the personal goals by the patient; and
based on the hearing aid achievement, automatically providing to the patient computing device at least one message to bring the patient into compliance with the use of the at least one educational and experimental module and achievement of the personal goals.

### Claim 85 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
providing, on the patient computing device, a remote control interface that allows the patient to navigate the hearing healthcare education and communication system and respond to system requests.

### Claim 86 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the at least one educational and experiential module includes content review questions, and wherein the determining the hearing aid achievement of the patient further includes:
providing, to the patient computing device, at least one content review question about content of the at least one educational and experiential module;
transmitting the at least one content review question to the display device for display;
receiving, from the patient computing device, a patient response to the at least one content review question displayed on the display device;
comparing the patient response to a correct response;
determining if the patient response is a correct response;
determining a content review score based on a percentage of correct responses; and
based on a result of the determining the content review score and a subject matter of the at least one content review question when the patient response is determined not to be the correct response, determining whether to send the at least one message to at least one of the hearing healthcare provider computing device and the patient computing device.

### Claim 87 (depends on 86)

The system of claim 86, further comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, a tip corresponding to the subject matter of the at least one content review question when the patient response is determined not to be the correct response.

### Claim 88 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84,
wherein the at least one educational and experiential module is an educational video, and
wherein the patient viewing data includes at least one of a cumulative number of different videos viewed on the display device within a predetermined period of time, a title of each of the different videos viewed, and a number of times each of the different videos was viewed.

### Claim 89 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the determining the hearing aid achievement of the patient includes:
collecting patient viewing data related to the at least one educational and experiential module;
comparing the patient viewing data to a threshold value;
based on a result of the comparing, determining whether to send the at least one message to at least one of a hearing healthcare provider computing device and the patient computing device; and
providing at least one report to the hearing healthcare provider computing device.

### Claim 90 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the determining the hearing aid achievement of the patient further includes:
providing, to the patient computing device, a survey question about a hearing aid experience of the patient;
transmitting the survey question to the display device for display;
receiving, from the patient computing device, a survey response to the survey question displayed on the display device;
comparing the survey response to a threshold value; and
based on a result of the comparing, determining whether to send the at least one message to the hearing healthcare provider computing device.

### Claim 91 (depends on 90)

The system of claim 90, further comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, a tip corresponding to a subject matter of the survey response based on the comparing the survey response to the threshold value.

### Claim 92 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
collecting system usage data of the system, the system usage data measuring usage of the system by the patient;
comparing the system usage data to a threshold value;
storing the system usage data and a result of the comparing in the at least one storage device; and
based on the result of the comparing, determining whether to send the at least one message to at least one of the patient computing device and the hearing healthcare provider computing device; and
providing one or more reports to at least one of the patient computing device and the hearing healthcare provider computing device, the one or more reports including the stored system usage data.

### Claim 93 (depends on 92)

The system of claim 92, wherein the system usage data includes at least one of:
a number of times that features of the system are accessed via the patient computing device,
a number of specific features of the system that are accessed via the patient computing device, or
a number of specific features of the system that are accessed via the patient computing device within a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 94 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the at least one educational and experiential module includes troubleshooting information related to a hearing aid issue, and the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, a list of troubleshooting topics related to patient experiences using the hearing aid;
transmitting the list of troubleshooting topics to the display device for display;
receiving, via the patient computing device, a patient selection of a topic from the list of the troubleshooting topics displayed on the display device;
providing troubleshooting advice based on the selected troubleshooting topic;
transmitting the troubleshooting advice to the display device for display;
receiving, via the patient computing device, one or more patient responses to the troubleshooting advice, and
storing, in the at least one storage device, troubleshooting response data based on the patient responses to the troubleshooting advice; and
providing one or more reports to at least one of the patient computing device or the hearing healthcare provider computing device, the one or more reports including the stored troubleshooting response data.

### Claim 95 (depends on 94)

The system of claim 94, wherein the providing the one or more reports includes:
providing the at least one message or the alert to the hearing healthcare provider computing device to alert the hearing healthcare provider of the hearing aid issue experienced by the patient.

### Claim 96 (depends on 94)

The system of claim 94, wherein the providing the troubleshooting advice based on the selected troubleshooting topic comprises:
receiving, via the patient computing device, a patient response to the troubleshooting advice;
based on the patient response, determining whether the patient response to the troubleshooting advice indicates that the hearing aid issue is resolved; and
storing, in die at least one storage device, a result of determining whether the patient response to the troubleshooting advice indicates that the hearing aid issue is resolved.

### Claim 97 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
a cloud-based communications platform configured to, upon a request from the hearing healthcare education and communication system, automatically send, via a cloud-based computing network, outgoing email messages, interactive phone calls, and text messages to patients and hearing healthcare providers, for reminders and notifications,
wherein responses from the patient and the hearing healthcare provider in response to the outgoing email messages, interactive phone calls, and text messages and the interactive survey questionnaires are stored in the at least one storage device.

### Claim 98 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
a cloud based communications platform configured to receive via the cloud-based computing network, incoming phone calls, and text messages from the patients and the hearing healthcare providers to initiate interactive survey questionnaires.

### Claim at position 33

-100. (canceled)

### Claim 101 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, a list of at least one hearing aid related supply item available to be ordered by the patient;
receiving, via the patient computing device, identification of one or more supply items selected for ordering from the list of the at least one hearing aid related supply item; and
transmitting the identification of the one or more supply items selected for ordering by the patient to the hearing healthcare provider computing device.

### Claim 102

(canceled)

### Claim 103 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
providing at least one report to at least one of the patient computing device or the hearing healthcare provider computing device, the at least one report including data related to system usage and responses from the patient.

### Claim 104 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the individualized healthcare rules include one or more of patient system usage rules, patient education rules, and patient hearing aid experience rules.

### Claim 105 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the at least one storage device is further configured to store a list of patients currently enrolled in the system and at least one report that includes data related to system usage and survey responses from a subset of the patients currently enrolled in the system.

### Claim 106 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, a request to modify system content, the modifying including at least one of adding, deleting, or changing the system content related to at least one of the patient or a plurality of patients.

### Claim 107 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, further comprising:
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, a request to schedule at least one of a telephone call, office appointment, and a video conference with at least one of the patient or a plurality of patients.

### Claim 108

A system for providing adaptive, integrated, and interactive hearing healthcare education and communication, comprising:
at least one storage device storing data and instructions;
at least one computer processor configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via a hearing healthcare provider computing device, initial patient data, the initial patient data including one or more values identifying a patient and a hearing aid used by the patient;
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, individualized healthcare rules from a hearing healthcare provider, the individualized healthcare rules being defined for the patient;
providing, to a patient computing device, a set of education goals related to at least one of communication capabilities and use of a hearing aid;
transmitting the set of education goals to a display device for display;
providing, to the patient computing device, the set of education goals;
receiving, from the patient computing device, input data defining a subset of the set of the education goals in response to the set of the education goals;
storing, in the at least one storage device, the subset of the set of the education goals as the personal goals of the patient;
providing, to the patient computing device, at least one educational and experiential module related to the personal goals;
transmitting the at least one educational and experiential module to the display device for display;
determining a hearing aid achievement of the patient, the hearing aid achievement corresponding to at least one of a use of the at least one educational and experiential module by the patient and a level of achievement of the personal goals by the patient; and
based on the hearing aid achievement, automatically providing to the patient computing device at least one message to bring the patient into compliance with the use of the at least one educational and experimental module and achievement of the personal goals.

### Claim 109 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, wherein the individualized healthcare rules include one or more of patient system usage rules, patient education rules, and patient hearing aid experience rules.

### Claim 110 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, further comprising:
providing at least one report to at least one of the patient computing device or the hearing healthcare provider computing device, the at least one report including data related to system usage and responses from a subset of the plurality of patients.

### Claim 111 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, wherein the at least one storage device is further configured to store a list of patients currently enrolled in the system and at least one report that includes data related to system usage and responses from a subset of the list of patients currently enrolled in the system.

### Claim 112 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, further comprising:
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, a request to modify system content, the modifying including at least one of adding, deleting, or changing the system content related to the patient.

### Claim 113 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, further comprising:
receiving, via the hearing healthcare provider computing device, a request to schedule at least one of a telephone call, office appointment, and a video conference with the patient.

### Claim 114 (depends on 108)

The system of claim 108, further comprising:
providing on the patient computing device a remote control interface that allows a patient to navigate the system and respond to the request for the input data; and
receiving the input patient data in response to the request displayed on the display device by using the remote control interface.

### Claim 115 (depends on 84)

The system of claim 84, wherein the at least one educational and experiential module includes troubleshooting information related to a hearing aid issue, and the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
providing, to the patient computing device, a list of troubleshooting topics related to a patient experience using the hearing aid;
receiving, via the patient computing device, a patient selection of a troubleshooting topic from the list of troubleshooting topics;
providing, to the patient computing device, troubleshooting advice and one or more questions related to the troubleshooting topic selected by the patient;
receiving, via the patient computing device, at least one patient response to the troubleshooting advice and the one or more questions related to the troubleshooting topic;
based on the at least one patient response, determining whether the hearing aid issue is resolved; and
providing, to the patient computing device, a notification based on the determining whether the hearing aid issue is resolved,
wherein the providing the notification includes one of:
when it is determined that the hearing aid issue is resolved, providing a congratulations to the patient; or
when it is determined that the hearing aid issue is not resolved:
providing additional troubleshooting advice,
receiving additional responses to the additional troubleshooting advice until the hearing aid issue is resolved or there is no additional available advice in the system to resolve the hearing aid issue, and
providing at least one message or alert to the hearing healthcare provider computing device to inform the hearing healthcare provider of an unresolved hearing aid issue.

### Claim 116 (depends on 115)

The system of claim 115, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
storing the patient selection of the troubleshooting topic and a result of the determining whether the hearing aid issue is resolved in the at least one storage device.

### Claim 117 (depends on 115)

The system of claim 115, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to execute the instructions and to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
providing one or more reports to at least one of the patient computing device and the hearing healthcare provider computing device, the one or more reports including the stored patient selection of the troubleshooting topic and the result of the determining whether the hearing aid issue is resolved.