Remote Support for Cochlear Implant Recipients: Evaluation of the HearCare MED-EL App

Remote care solutions can provide cochlear implant users a greater convenience, accessibility, and personalized care. These advantages stem from the ability to fine-tune and adjust their devices from the comfort of their own environments, without the need for frequent and time-consuming in-person clinic visits.

Remote care allows clinicians to remotely assess data, provide guidance, and make necessary adjustments, all while minimizing the need for physical presence. This streamlined approach translates to increased capacity for serving a larger number of patients, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

The HearCare MED-EL App is a mobile smartphone application designed for recipients of at least one compatible MED-EL cochlear implant and respective audio processor. The app manages technical checks on compatible cochlear implants and audio processors, creates and utilizes backups of audio processor configurations, and performs updates of audio processor configurations by acting as an executive organ of the MAESTRO System Software. The app reduces face-to-face follow-up appointments of users/caregivers with hearing professionals while maintaining safe and ongoing care for all individuals.

This clinical investigation aims to evaluate the HearCare MED-EL App regarding safety and performance.

Inclusion criteria

• Age > 18 years
• Implanted with at least one MED-EL Cochlea Implant (CI) for at least 3 months
• Fitted with at least one audio processor compatible with the HearCare MED-EL App (i.e. SONNET 2, SONNET 2 EAS, RONDO 3 or newer)
• Signed and dated Informed Consent Form (ICF) before the start of any study-specific procedure

Exclusion criteria

• Lack of compliance with any inclusion criteria
• Implanted with C40X and C40C
• Implanted with an Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI) or Split electrode array
• Anything that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would place the subject at increased risk or preclude the subject's full compliance with or completion of the study (e.g. psychological disorders, neurologic or motoric comorbidity that could restrict subjects from using the app)