Qualind™: A method for assessing the accuracy of automated tests

As audiology strives for cost containment, standardization, accuracy of tests, and accountability, greater use of automated tests is likely. Highly skilled audiologists employ quality control factors that contribute to test accuracy, but they are not formally included in test protocols, resulting in a wide range of accuracy, owing to the various skill and experience levels of clinicians. A method that incorporates validated quality indicators may increase accuracy and enhance access to accurate hearing tests. This report describes a quality assessment method that can be applied to any test that (1) requires behavioral or physiologic responses, (2) is associated with factors that correlate with accuracy, and (3) has an available independent measure of the dimension being assessed, including tests of sensory sensitivity, cognitive function, aptitude, academic achievement, and personality. In this report the method is applied to AMTAS™, an automated method for diagnostic pure-tone audiometry.