If recovery is incomplete then the hearing loss is asymmetric and treated as per the ambulatory care pathway. Some believing this is herpetic will treat with high dose antiviral medication. The issue with asymmetric hearing loss or asymmetric discrimination is that a small percentage of these represent the early symptoms of a cerebellopontine angle tumor. This then leaves the most common scenario which is asymmetry greater than 10dB but less than 20 or 30dB with reasonable discrimination scores. In other words, major asymmetry for threshold or discrimination requires ABR and possible MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma.
Moderate asymmetries require clinical judgement.
If tumor suspicion is low, repeat the audiogram in 6 months and determine the need for workup by increasing hearing loss or asymmetrically deteriorating hearing. Whether the primary care provider accepts this pathway or chooses a modified or different pathway, some rigorous organized thinking on this topic will benefit the patient, the physician and the practice.