N.H. Admin. Code § Hcp 102.01

Current through Register No. 36, September 5, 2024

Section Hcp 102.01 - Terms Used

As used in these rules, the following terms shall have the meanings as set below:

(a) "Audiologist" means "audiologist" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, I, namely, "any person who renders or offers to render to the public any service involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures for the measurement of testing, identification, appraisal, consultation, counseling, instruction, and research related to the development and disorders of hearing and vestibular function for the purpose of diagnosing, designing, and implementing programs for the amelioration of such disorders and conditions;"

(b) "Audiology" means "audiology" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, II, namely, "the application of principles, methods, and procedures related to the development and disorders of human communication, which disorders shall include any and all conditions whether of organic or nonorganic origin, that impede the normal processes of human communication and balance including, but not limited to, disorders of hearing, vestibular function, and central auditory processing;"

(c) "Board" means "board" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, III, namely, "the board of hearing care providers;"

(d) "Days" means "days" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, X, namely, "Monday through Friday, excluding official holidays;"

(e) "Hearing aid" means "hearing aid" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, IV; namely, "any wearable instrument or device designed for or offered for the purpose of or represented as aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing and any parts or attachments, including ear molds, but excluding batteries and cords or accessories thereto, or equipment, devices, and attachments used in conjunction with services provided by a public utility company;"

(f) "Hearing aid dealer" means "hearing aid dealer" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, V, namely, "any person engaged in the testing of human hearing for the purpose of selecting, fitting, or otherwise dealing in hearing aids." The term includes any person who physically modifies a hearing aid/earmold or adjusts a hearing instrument's electroacoustic performance but does not include rudimentary cleaning or basic hearing aid orientation/instruction;

(g) "License" means the form of permission required, pursuant to RSA 137-F:11, to be obtained from the board before a person can lawfully practice audiology;

(h) "Licensee" means a person who has received a license issued by the board pursuant to RSA 137-F:11 to practice audiology;

(i) "Licensure" means the process by which a person applies for a license from the board and the board's action to grant or deny such license;

(j) "Otolaryngologist" means "otolaryngologist" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, VI, namely, "a physician licensed in the state of New Hampshire who specializes in medical problems of the ear, nose, and throat, and is eligible for qualification by the American Board of Otolaryngology as an otolaryngologist;"

(k) "Practice of audiology" means "practice of audiology" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, VII, namely, it "means, but shall not be limited to:

(a) Screening, identifying, assessing, interpreting, diagnosing, rehabilitating, and preventing hearing disorders.

(b) Rendering to individuals or groups of individuals, who are suspected of having hearing disorders, basic and comprehensive audiological and vestibular site-of-lesion tests, including otoscopic examinations, electrophysiologic test procedures, and auditory evoked assessment.

(c) Rendering basic and comprehensive auditory and vestibular habilitative and rehabilitative services, including aural rehabilitative assessment and therapy, vestibular rehabilitative assessment and therapy, and speech and language screening.

(d) Providing basic and comprehensive audiological and psychoacoustic evaluations for the purpose of determining candidacy for amplification or assistive alerting/listening devices; providing tinnitus evaluations and therapy; providing hearing aid fitting and orientation; taking ear impressions; and providing hearing aid product dispensing, repair, and modification.

(e) Providing preoperative evaluation and selection of cochlear implant candidacy and post-implant rehabilitation.

(f) Providing occupational hearing conservation;"

(l) "Registrant" means a person who has registered with the board pursuant to RSA 137-F:9 as a hearing aid dealer;

(m) "Rental or selling of hearing aids" means "rental or selling of hearing aids" as defined by RSA 137- F:2, VIII, namely, "the selection, adaptation, and sale or rental of hearing aids. Also included is the making of impressions for ear molds and instruction pertaining to the use of hearing aids;" and

(n) "Sell" or "sale" means "sell" or "sale" as defined by RSA 137-F:2, IX, namely, "any transfer of title or of the right of use by sale, conditional sales contract, lease bailments, hire-purchase or any other means, excluding wholesale transactions of dealers and distributors."

N.H. Admin. Code § Hcp 102.01

#6934, eff 1-29-99; ss by #9336, eff 12-3-08