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Ms. Hickey;

Thank you for responding to my letter concerning the QuickSin (speech-in-noise) hearing procedures.

In your letter dated February 6, 2012, you stated that on October 11 & 12, 2011, “the rating schedule currently does not provide for speech-in-noise testing, such as QuickSIN. However, the VA hosted a forum of medical experts who addressed issues relating to hearing impairment including recently developed evaluation tools such as speech-in-noise testing.

I would be extremely grateful to you to know what was decided at the forum’s conclusion. Particularly when it comes to the recently developed evaluation tools such as speech-in-noise.

What direction will the VA pursue on these recently developed evaluation tools such as Speech-in-noise to better diagnose hearing disabled veterans?

1.      If adopted, then how long would you estimate for any of these procedures to be implemented?

2.      If not adopted, then may I have an explanation why?

 The outcome will have an important impact on my service connected but zero compensation claim appeal. In a previous correspondence letter to you, I included a summary of test results from the University of Washington’s audiology department. Test results revealed a bilateral moderately-severe sensory neural hearing loss, indicative of noise exposure above 2000hz. QuickSIN testing revealed a moderate impairment in noise bilaterally and indicates that even with good directional microphones and noise reduction technology, difficulty in background noise is more likely than not.  QuickSIN (speech-in-noise) testing evaluates a person’s ability to hear speech in the presence of background noise. Because the test is evaluating an aspect of the auditory system different from pure tone testing, the degree of impairment indicated by this test may not correspond exactly to the pure tone results.

What this procedure provides is a “real world – intelligibility” diagnoses that the clinical Maryland CNC and Pure Tone cannot. Even with the use of hearing aids (that I would not be without), speech-in-noise validates my frustration and diminished quality of life when subjected to background noise.

 Harry Levitt, PhD submitted an article to the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development Vol. 38 No. 1, January/February 2001. He states “Background noise is particularly damaging to speech intelligibility for people with hearing loss. The problem of reducing noise in hearing aids is one of great importance--and great difficulty. It is well known that background noise reduces the intelligibility of speech and that the greater the level of background noise the greater the reduction in intelligibility.” http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/01/38/1/levit381.html

 Hopefully the VA will incorporate the recently developed evaluation tools such as speech-in-noise testing procedures, develop a rating system, and compensate those of us who suffer more than just a hearing disability.

 Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

***********just a side note; I know that this topic is four pages long. So has been my journey to research and report a step by step progress. With luck, this post will come to a successful conclusion and if it doesn't, then at least I will leave knowing that I have tried my very best to help all vets suffering from a zero compensated hearing loss. I want to thank all of you who have supported my mission, and especially to those who deem this post turning into a blog. That is absolutely not what was not intended (as per my request to refocus many times).  I feel closure is just around the next bend. Lets hope for a quick resolve. May God bless you.

Jim