This is a Code of Ethics for those engaged in the testing of human hearing, and in the selection, counseling, fitting, dispensing and servicing of hearing instruments. This Code sets standards of professional integrity and practice, including relationships with patients/clients, colleagues and the general public.

Ethical principles are standards by which the profession and the individual Hearing Health Care Professional determine the propriety of their conduct. A commitment to adhere to these standards is required for membership in the OKLAHOMA HEARING AID ASSOCIATION, and further serves to assure public confidence in the integrity of the services of hearing instrument dispensers in this profession. It is incumbent on all hearing health professionals to abide by all State and Federal laws, or rules and regulations applicable to the dispensing of hearing instruments.

In order that we can best serve hearing impaired persons and contribute toward their participation in the world of sound and speech, we, the members of the OKLAHOMA HEARING AID ASSOCIATION, pledged ourselves to abide with this Code of Ethics:

We shall state only the true facts in our public announcements and advertising of hearing instruments and related products, and we shall not, in any way, mislead or misrepresent in regard to their performance, appearance, benefits, elements, and use.

We shall provide thorough and ethical consulting services when we dispense instruments, including the appropriate testing and fitting suitable for the patient/client’s particular type of hearing loss.

We shall, at all times, provide the best possible service to the hearing impaired, offering counsel, understanding and technical assistance contributing toward their deriving the maximum benefit from their hearing instruments.

SECTION I: CONDUCT AND RELATIONSHIP WITH PATIENT/CLIENT

Hearing health care professionals engaged in the practice of testing human hearing, and in the selection, counseling, fitting, dispensing and servicing of hearing instruments, shall hold paramount the welfare of the patient/client.

Continuing Education:

It is in the best interest of the patient/client that the hearing health care professional engage and participate in continuing education during each year of active practice.

Referral:

The hearing health professional shall utilize all resources available, including referral to other professionals as needed.

Services Rendered:

The hearing health care professional shall accept and seek full responsibility for the exercise of judgment within, but not limited to, the areas of his expertise. These services include the testing of human hearing, and the selection, counseling, fitting, dispensing and servicing of hearing instruments.

Confidential Aspects of Patient/Client Relations:

The hearing health care professional shall hold in professional confidence all information and professional records concerning a patient/client and use such data only for the benefit of the patient/client or as the law demands.

Conduct in Regard to Colleagues and Hearing Health Care Professionals:

The hearing health care professional must keep the welfare of the patient/client uppermost at all times. He/she shall avoid disparaging, belittling and/or inaccurate remarks or comments about professional colleagues or members of the hearing health care professions. He/she shall conduct himself/herself at all times in a manner which will enhance the status of the profession. He/she shall be supportive to individuals and organizations with whom he/she is associated to their mutual benefit. He/she shall not agree to practice under terms or conditions which tend to interfere with or impair the proper exercise of his professional judgment and skill, which tend to cause a deterioration of the quality of his/her service, or which require him/her to consent to unethical conduct.

Maintenance of Records:

The hearing health care professional shall initiate and maintain records of services provided to patients/clients. All State and Federal laws, or rules and regulations pertaining to keeping of records must be carefully observed.

Delay in Providing Services:

The hearing health care professional shall not delay furnishing care to patients/clients served professionally, without just cause.

Discontinuance of Services:

The hearing health care professional shall not discontinue services to patients/clients without providing reasonable notice of withdrawal, providing all contractual agreements have been satisfied.

SECTION II: RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PROFESSION AND COLLEAGUES

The hearing health care professional has the duty to observe all State and Federal laws, rules and regulations, applicable to the dispensing of hearing instruments, to uphold the dignity and honor of the profession and to accept its ethical principles.

In the event it appears that a hearing health care professional is in violation of this Code, fellow hearing health care professionals are encouraged to report circumstances to the Board of Directors of the Association.

B. The hearing health care professional holding an official or elective position in the Association shall not use such a position for self-exploitation.

SECTION III: ADVERTISING

The hearing health care professional who chooses to advertise his or her services shall use only material considered ethical and complying with State and Federal laws, or rules and regulations governing advertising. The hearing health care professional shall endorse the following statement of principles that assures protection of the hearing impaired and the public in general:

TRUTH – Advertising shall tell the truth, and shall not mislead the public, and shall not dispense any product, or part hereof, representing that it is new, unused, or rebuilt, when such is not the fact.

RESPONSIBILITY – Advertisers shall be willing and able to provide substantiation of claims made.

TASTE AND DECENCY – Advertising shall be free of statements, illustrations, or implications which are offensive to good taste or public decency.

DISPARAGEMENT – Advertising shall offer merchandise or service on its merits, and shall refrain from attacking competitors or disparaging their products, services or methods of doing business.

BAIT AND SWITCH ADVERTISEMENT – Advertising shall offer only merchandise or services which are readily available for purchase during the advertised period at the advertised price; e.g., it is unethical for any heath health care professional to advertise a particular model or kind of instrument to obtain prospects for the sale of a different model or kind of instrument than that advertised, or to imply a relationship with a manufacturer and trade names that do not exist.

SECTION IV: STANDARDS

Maintenance of high standards by hearing health care professionals is in the best interest of persons served professionally, hearing health care professionals, and the profession.

It shall be unethical for hearing health care professionals to willfully and knowingly violate any State or Federal law or rule or regulation applicable to the dispensing of hearing instruments.

It shall be unethical to use such terms, but not limited to use any abbreviations of such terms as doctor, physician, otologist, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist, Audioprosthologist, certified hearing aid audiologist, clinical audiologist, medical audiologist, research audiologist, industrial audiologist, when such is not the fact.

It shall be unethical to use any terms that may reasonably be said to confuse the public that a private business practice has some relationship to a governmental or non-profit medical, educational or research institution.

SECTION V: DISCRIMINATION

The hearing health care professional shall not discriminate in the delivery of professional services on the basis of race, national origin, religion, sex, age or marital status.

SECTION VI: ASSOCIATION

The hearing health care professional is encouraged to associate with groups and organizations having as their objectives the betterment of the profession.

All members of the Association pledge themselves to observe and support his Code of Ethics. By violating any part, a member of the Association may be subject to removal from membership in this Association.