Illinois Administrative Code › Title 77 - PUBLIC HEALTH › Part 682 - HEARING INSTRUMENT CONSUMER PROTECTION CODE › Subpart A - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section 682.100 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
"Abuse" means any physical or mental injury or sexual
				  assault, inflicted on a consumer other than by accidental means.
"Act" means the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act
				  [225 ILCS 50 ].
"Advertisement" means any printed or spoken information that
				  is provided to the public group, pursuant to the practice of fitting,
				  dispensing or servicing hearing instruments or by persons engaged in these
				  activities.
"Audiometric Test" means any test, using calibrated
				  audiometric equipment, to determine the status of the hearing system.
"Authorized Designee" means any organization that is approved
				  by the Department to offer and conduct a written or practical examination in
				  accordance with Department guidelines.
"Board" means the HearingInstrumentConsumer Protection Board.
				  (Section 3 of the Act)
"Cost" means any expense resulting from activities mandated
				  by the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act or this Part.
"Decibel" or "dB" means a numerical expression of the
				  relative intensity of a sound.
"Department" means the Department of Public Health. (Section
				  3(a) of the Act)
"Direct Supervision" means that the licensed hearing
				  instrument dispenser/audiologist designated as supervisor of a licensed trainee
				  shall givefinal approval to all work performed by the trainee, shall sign off
				  on all progress notes and contracts, and shall be physically present 100
				  percent of the time while the trainee has contact with the client. (Section 9.5
				  of the Act)
"Director" means the Director of the Department of Public
				  Health. (Section 3(b) of the Act)
"Disposable Hearing Instrument" or "Disposable Hearing Aid"
				  means any instrument or device designed, intended, or offered for the purpose
				  of improving a person's hearing that uses a self-contained, non-renewable,
				  non-replaceable battery of limited life span.
"Entity" means a person or group of persons engaged in
				  dispensing activities.
"Fund" means the HearingInstrumentDispenser Examining and
				  Disciplinary Fund. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Hearing Care Professional" means a person who is a licensed
				  audiologist, a licensed hearing instrument dispenser, or a licensed physician.
				  (Section 3 of the Act)
"HearingInstrument" or "HearingAid" means any instrument or
				  device designed, intended,or offered for the purpose ofimproving a
				  person'shearing and any parts, attachments,or accessories, including
				  earmold.Batteries, cords,and individual or group auditory training devices and
				  any instrument or device used by a public utility in providing telephone or
				  other communication services are excluded. (Section 3(i) of the Act)
"HearingInstrumentDispenser" or "Dispenser" means a person
				  whois a hearing care professional thatengages in the selling, practice of
				  fitting,selecting, recommending,dispensing,or servicing of
				  hearinginstrumentsorthe testing for means of hearing instrument selection orwho
				  advertises or displays a sign or represents himselfor herselfas a person who
				  practices thetesting,fitting,selecting,servicing, dispensing,or selling of
				  hearinginstruments. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Liability Insurance" means malpractice insurance in the
				  minimum amount of $200,000.
"License" means a license issued by the State under the Act
				  to a hearinginstrumentdispenser. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Licensed Audiologist" means a person licensed as an
				  audiologist under the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice
				  Act [225 ILCS 110 ] (Section 3 of the Act)
"Licensed Hearing Instrument Dispenser" or "Licensee" means a
				  hearing instrument dispenser who has met the educational requirements, has
				  passed the Department's required Hearing Instrument Dispenser Examinations, and
				  has paid the appropriate fees for the license.
"Licensed Physician" or "Physician" means a physician
				  licensed in Illinois to practice medicine in all of its branches, pursuant to
				  the Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 60 ]. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Masking" means the process by which a second sound stimulus
				  is introduced to the non-test ear to isolate the response of the test ear from
				  that of the non-test ear.
"Medical Evaluation" means a written statement, signed by a
				  licensed physician, , which states that the patient's hearing loss has been
				  medically evaluated and the patientisconsidered a candidate for a
				  hearinginstrument. The medical evaluationmust have taken place within 6 months
				  immediately preceding thedate of the sale of the hearing instrument tothe
				  prospective hearinginstrumentuser. (Section 4 of the Act)
"Most Comfortable Loudness" or "MCL" means a level at which
				  sound is most comfortable for the client, that is, loudness of sound sufficient
				  and adequate to be easily heard by the listener without the sound being painful
				  or having disturbing features.
"National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist"
				  means a person who has had at least 2 years in practice as a hearing instrument
				  dispenser and has been certified after qualification by examination by the
				  National Board for Certification in Hearing Instruments Sciences. (Section 3 of
				  the Act)
"Observer" means a licensed hearing instrument
				  dispenser/audiologist who directly observes students or licensed trainees
				  engaged in dispensing activities described in Section
				  682.215(d).
"Place of Business" means a location where hearing
				  instruments are exhibited or the services are offered for sale or lease on a
				  continuing basis; where the hearing instrument purchaser can have personal
				  contact and counsel with the licensed hearing instrument dispenser/audiologist
				  and obtain service during the firm's business hours; where the licensed hearing
				  instrument dispenser/audiologist maintains a depository of all client records;
				  where the licensee normally conducts business; and that is the address given
				  for the purpose of retail sales tax to the Illinois Department of
				  Revenue.
"Practice of Fitting, Dispensing or Servicing of Hearing
				  Instruments " means themeasurementofhumanhearingwithan audiometer,calibrated
				  tothe currentAmerican National Standard Institute standards, for the purpose of
				  making selections, recommendations, adaptations, services, or sales of hearing
				  instruments including the making of earmolds as part of the hearing instrument.
				  (Section 3 of the Act)
"Reciprocity" means the licensing of a dispenser who holds a
				  current license in another State that determines competency through the
				  International Institute for Hearing Instrument Studies (IIHIS) International
				  Licensing Examination (ILE) or who holds a valid current license from another
				  state that has an examination substantially similar to the examination required
				  under the Act, as determined by the Department.
"Reciprocity Fee" means a fee equivalent to the fee for one
				  entire administration of the licensing competency examination (see Section
				  682.200(a)(3)
				   ).
"Sell" or "Sale" means any transfer of title or of the right
				  to use by lease, bailment, or any other contract, excluding wholesale
				  transactions with distributors or dealers. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Speech Reception Threshold" means the lowest hearing level
				  in decibels at which the client can respond correctly to at least 50% of the
				  two-syllable words (spondaic words) presented via recording or live
				  voice.
"Spondaic Words" means words containing two syllables that
				  are pronounced with equal emphasis.
"Student" means any non-licensed individual, involved in
				  supervised hearing instrument dispensing activities, who is enrolled full-time
				  in a graduate program of audiology in an accredited college or university.
				  (Section 11 of the Act)
"Supervisor" means the licensed hearing instrument dispenser
				  or audiologist, with at least two years of practice dispensing hearing aids,
				  who is responsible for the hearing instrument dispensing activities of a
				  student or trainee. The licensed hearing instrument dispenser/audiologist is
				  responsible for all of the work that is performed by the trainee or
				  student.
"Trainee" means a person who is licensed to perform the
				  functions of a hearing instrument dispenser in accordance with this Part and
				  only under the direct supervision of a hearing instrument dispenser or
				  audiologist who is licensed in this State. (Section 3 of the Act)
"Uncomfortable Loudness Level" or "UCL" means the level at
				  which the client indicates that sound is uncomfortably loud.