Review of Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management

This brochure provides the fundamental principles found in Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management (PATM) modality to raise awareness to the practitioner and veteran clients. Only about 20% of veterans suffering from tinnitus require a clinical intervention which necessitates a progressive management approach, providing triage guidelines to facilitate appropriate care for the veteran with tinnitus and other presenting problems such as physical trauma, mental health problems, ear pain or drainage and depending on a categorical fit they would be referred to Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), the audiology department, mental health or other specialist.

The brochure clearly delineates which level of care the veteran would need based on a few short surveys and gives direction on the next steps, interventions and treatments. The brochure has a concise and efficient overview of the helping process for the clinician in a generic way that could easily bring highlighted points to reinforce educational seminars and lectures within the Veterans Administration (VA) medical and mental health centers. The target audience would be the VA system enabling a more balanced and cultured response to an ever increasing diverse veteran population.

The article could translate well for the social worker as they would benefit the discipline of practitioners ranging from clinical to social services within the VA. The brochure expounds on a solution that pervades the VA system today, veterans with audiologic disorders that have exponentially increased within the last five years.

Myers, P. J., Henry, J. A., Zaugg, T. L., & Schechter, M. A. (n. d.). Progressive audiologic tinnitus management for veterans [Brochure]. Portland, Oregon, and Tampa, Florida: Veterans Administration (VA) National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, and James A. Haley VA Medical Center.