When the Department of Defense (DOD) divided up its medical centers of excellence over the past two years, one of the new units created is the Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE).<\/p>\n
The new HCE is charged with creating a database of military hearing-related injuries and care management to help create best practices among VA caregivers.<\/p>\n
In an interview with the Military Officers Association of America, the center\u2019s interim director Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Packer said the HCE is at initial operational capability and should be completely operational by 2013. <\/p>\n
The HCE will create a registry of every case of acoustic injury to service members, Packer told the MOAA. Service members suffer hearing loss in a variety of ways \u2013 from IEDs to ship engine noise and ship gunfire to aircraft noise.<\/p>\n
\u201cData available from the Registry will spur a research agenda leading to better prevention, optimal diagnosis, best practice guidelines and optimal rehabilitation (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When the Department of Defense (DOD) divided up its medical centers of excellence over the past two years, one of the new units created is the Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE). The new HCE is charged with creating a database…<\/span><\/p>\n