[Prescribing hearing aids in ENT practice. I. General principles of prescription and hearing aid technics]

If it is no longer possible to improve hearing by conservative or surgical measures, provision of a hearing aid to the deaf patient remains an important task for the Otorhinolaryngologist. 98% of hearing aids are prescribed at the expense of the Statutory Health Insurance, 90-95% of them by Otorhinolaryngologists in private practice. The limits of the indication for the provision of hearing aids are explained, with attention to the principles of cash limits or by the Social Security system. The contractually regulated division of responsibility between the Otorhinolaryngologist and the hearing aid specialist are explained. The most important principles of hearing aid technology are described: the knowledge of these principles is a pre-requisite for correct prescription of hearing aids by the Otorhinolaryngologist.