Audiology Specialist II

Kaiser Permanente; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser Permanente is seeking a licensed audiologist to perform advanced diagnostic testing, interpret results, and coordinate treatment plans for hearing and balance disorders in a patient-centered setting.

The role involves counseling patients and families, fitting and programming hearing aids, and collaborating with physicians and other professionals to ensure evidence-based care and positive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Doctorate or Master’s in Audiology with required professional experience.
• Licensure as Audiologist in California (or eligibility).
• Experience with diagnostic audiology and treatment planning.
• Strong communication with patients and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive diagnostic audiology assessments and balance evaluations.
• Develop and implement rehabilitation and hearing aid plans.
• Provide patient and family counseling on hearing and balance disorders.
• Maintain accurate patient records and contribute to research.

Skills

Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management

Attention to Detail

Communication

Critical Thinking

Cross-Group Collaboration

Decision Making

Teamwork

Education

Doctorate degree in Audiology or equivalent

Master's degree in Audiology or equivalent with required experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Audiology Equipment

Job description

Job Summary:

Performs testing and examination using advanced audiology knowledge to determine a patients hearing level, balance assessment, and/or the site and nature of any damage. Interprets diagnostic audiological results with other diagnostic data to formulate the patients diagnosis, and plans several interrelated auditory disorder treatments to ensure that best practices are followed, and positive care outcomes are achieved. Conducts treatment for patients using advanced knowledge including habilitative, rehabilitative, or conservation programs, custom fitting, programming, and troubleshooting of hearing aids, and counseling individuals with auditory and balance disorders, their families, and other service providers. Maintains records of diagnostic findings and progress made utilizing appropriate software while providing input to other professionals. Independently conducts and evaluates clinical and research procedures as well as improved methods of evaluation of persons with auditory and balance disorders. Provides audiology education for patients and other professionals relating to pre-hearing aid expectations, post-purchase use and care, and hearing and balance disorders.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Promotes learning in others by proactively providing and/or developing information, resources, advice, and expertise with coworkers and members; builds relationships with cross-functional/external stakeholders and customers. Listens to, seeks, and addresses performance feedback; proactively provides actionable feedback to others and to managers. Pursues self-development; creates and executes plans to capitalize on strengths and develop weaknesses; leads by influencing others through technical explanations and examples and provides options and recommendations. Adopts new responsibilities; adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback; demonstrates flexibility in approaches to work; champions change and helps others adapt to new tasks and processes. Facilitates team collaboration to support a business outcome.
• Completes work assignments autonomously and supports business-specific projects by applying expertise in subject area and business knowledge to generate creative solutions; encourages team members to adapt to and follow all procedures and policies. Collaborates cross-functionally and/or externally to achieve effective business decisions; provides recommendations and solves complex problems; escalates high-priority issues or risks, as appropriate; monitors progress and results. Supports the development of work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; identifies resources to accomplish priorities and deadlines. Identifies, speaks up, and capitalizes on improvement opportunities across teams; uses influence to guide others and engages stakeholders to achieve appropriate solutions.
• Conducts treatment for patients by: Utilizing advanced knowledge to conduct or participate in habilitative, rehabilitative, or conservation programs; counseling individuals with auditory disorders, their families and other service providers, independently, regarding the etiology of the disorder, its management, the recommended follow-up and treatment plan as well as providing feedback to others on their counseling; and using advanced knowledge to custom fit and program hearing aids, troubleshoot hearing aid problems, provide in office hearing aid maintenance and repair, perform electroacoustic analysis and Rear Ear measurement to ensure patient benefit.
• Diagnoses and monitors patients by: Coordinating diagnostic audiological results with other diagnostic data, such as educational, medical, social, and behavioral information, and/or providing guidance to other professionals as needed; independently interpreting and providing guidance to other professionals on the process of interpreting the results of all auditory diagnostic data in order to reach a diagnosis; and independently monitoring changes and providing guidance to other professionals in relevant audiometric and other diagnostic data to determine changes over time and progress through treatment.
• Provides audiology education for patients and other professionals by: Preparing, coordinating, and presenting patient educational classes, independently, relating to pre-hearing aid expectations, post-purchase use and care, and hearing and balance disorders, and planning, developing, conducting, and/or participating in seminars/workshops to teach audiology to professional staff and train them to conduct routine audiometry.
• Maintains records by: Independently recording diagnostic findings and progress made utilizing appropriate software as well as providing input on records and processes to other professionals; and completing required visit documentation, reporting results, billing, and service capture and/or providing guidance to other professionals as needed.
• Conducts and evaluates research by: Developing clinical and research procedures, independently, as well as improved methods of evaluation of persons with auditory and balance disorders; using advanced knowledge to postoperatively conduct studies to determine hearing improvement achieved through surgery; and reporting results of research and evaluation using independent judgement and/or providing guidance to other professionals.
• Performs testing and examination by: Applying advanced audiology knowledge to physically and otoscopically examine the outer structure of the ear and its organic or inorganic nature, and administering acoustic and electro-acoustic tests, to determine a patients hearing level, balance assessment, and/or the site and nature of any damage.
• Plans treatments for patients by: Utilizing advanced knowledge to anticipate and predict potential benefits of several interrelated auditory disorder treatments, such as hearing aids or special training; developing and coordinating plans for habilitative and rehabilitative programs including counseling, guidance, auditory training, and hearing conservation, as well as medical referrals as needed through the application of advanced audiology knowledge; and coordinating with other professionals such as audiologists, surgeons, physical therapists, provider staff, and oncologists in order to ensure that best practices are followed and positive care outcomes are achieved and/or providing guidance to other professionals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Core)

• Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management
• Attention to Detail
• Business Knowledge
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Cross-Group Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Dependability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Support
• Drives Results
• Facilitation Skills
• Health Care Industry
• Influencing Others
• Integrity
• Learning Agility
• Organizational Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Short- and Long-term Learning & Recall
• Teamwork
• Topic-Specific Communication

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Functional)

• Acts with Compassion
• Audiology Equipment
• Clinical Audiology
• Confidentiality
• Coordination
• Health Care Policy
• Health Care Quality Standards
• Health Information Systems
• Interpersonal Skills
• Literature Searches
• Maintain Files and Records
• Medical Terminology
• Microsoft Office
• Negotiation
• Operational Policy
• Patient Safety
• Presentation Skills
• Quality Assurance and Effectiveness
• Relationship Building
• Service Focus
• Time Management

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum one (1) year of experience in a leadership role with or without direct reports.
• Doctorate degree in Audiology, Speech and Hearing Science, Communication Disorders AND minimum two (2) years of experience in audiology or a directly related field OR Masters degree in Audiology, Speech and Hearing Science, Communication Disorders AND minimum four (4) years of experience in audiology or a directly related field.

• National Provider Identifier required at hire

• Basic Life Support required at hire

• Temporary Audiologist License (California) required at hire OR Audiologist License (California) required at hire

• Audiologist License (California) within 12 months of hire

Preferred Qualifications:

• Valid Dispensing Audiologist License in state of primary practice.