Audiology

The department specialises in the identification, assessment, diagnosis, management, and treatment of hearing disorders, especially in children. The department also plays are role in the prevention of hearing loss.

Assessments are provided to both inpatients and outpatients at the Audiology department at Monash Medical Centre Clayton or at Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre.

The department is a designated centre of excellence providing diagnostic audiological services for the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP).

Each consultation involves a hearing assessment, middle ear function testing and speech audiometry (if applicable). Different tests are used depending on the age and developmental level of the patient.

Tests

  • Impedance Audiometry
  • Audiogram
  • Visual Reinforcement Audiometry
  • Play Audiometry,
  • Pure Tone Audiometry
  • Speech Audiometry
  • Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) for infants (threshold)
  • Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR)
  • Otoacoustic Emissions (Distortion Product OAE & Transient Evoked OAE)
Objective testing can be performed under sedation for children to confirm suspected hearing loss, or for children who have been difficult to assess with behavioural techniques, (Clayton only).

Referrals & Fees

We accept internal referrals from all Southern Health programs and routinely see patients attending Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Cleft Palate Clinic, Developmental disabilities clinic and the Paediatric Hearing Loss Investigation Clinic (PHLIC).

SH inpatients and outpatients incur no direct cost.

We also accept external referrals from such agencies as general practitioners, ENT specialists, paediatricians, maternal and child health nurses, speech pathologists, school nurses etc.

All external patients are billed and rebated through Medicare. A doctor or specialist’s referral will maximise the Medicare rebate, but is not essential. Infants under 4 months of age are bulk-billed (no out-of-pocket expense).

The service operates both at Monash Medical Centre, Clayton and at Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre.

Contact

Monash Audiology Service          Monash Medical Centre Clayton                  phone 9594 2428
Cranbourne Hearing Services   Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre           phone 5990 6180