MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

President Street
Witbank
1035
South Africa / / Private Bag X7206
Witbank
1035
Tel: (013) 653-2000
Int.: +27 13 653-2000
Fax: (013) 690-3614
Int.: +27 13 690-3614

Department of Health

Witbank Hospital
Litiko
Letemphilo / Umnyango
Wezamaphilo / Departemente van
Gesondheid

Speech Therapy and Audiology Service

Policy for testing uncooperative patients

Policy Number: / 35/4/2007
File Number: / 35
Date of Issue: / April 2011
Date of Revision: / April 2013
Originated: / Name: Michelle Coetzee
Authorised By: / Name: Dr P Mandondo

This protocol is aimed at:

-  Patients who are fully orientated and able to follow instructions; but

o  are choosing not to cooperate with the audiologist during the audiometric evaluation.

o  are malingering the degree of hearing loss so that an accurate estimation of their hearing level cannot be established.

o  are acting in the above manner in an attempt to apply for a Disability Grant (DG) or Red Ticket.

Strategy:

-  The patient will be tested by the audiologist on duty. If unreliable or non-correlating results are obtained, the results will not be forwarded to the referring doctor. The patient will be re-booked for another evaluation. It will be explained to the patient and their family member why this is done.

-  This procedure will be repeated 3 times. The patient will be tested by a different audiologist on all 3 occasions.

-  If unreliable and non-correlating results are still obtained, the patient will be discharged from the Audiology clinic. A letter will be sent to the referring agent to inform them that the patient is uncooperative and can therefore not be helped as it is not possible to establish their hearing sensitivity.

-  The patient will be treated with the necessary respect at all times, but will be handled in a firm manner in an attempt to obtain accurate results.

Approved by:

Signature:

Date:

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