(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Audiologist” means an individual who practices audiology.
(b–1) “Audiology assistant” means an individual who:
(1) Meets the minimum qualifications established under this subtitle and in regulations adopted by the Board;
(2) Does not work independently; and
(3) Works under the general supervision of an audiologist licensed under this title.
(c) “Board” means the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists.
(d) “Direct supervision” means on–site and personal oversight by an individual licensed under this title who assumes responsibility for another individual’s conduct whether it is consistent or fails to be consistent with professional standards and the provisions of this title.
(d–1) “General supervision” means the supervision of a licensed audiology assistant by a licensed audiologist who may or may not be present when the licensed audiology assistant assists in the practice of audiology.
(e) “Hearing aid” means any FDA approved instrument or device that is designed for or represented as being capable of improving or correcting impaired human hearing.
(f) “Hearing aid dispenser” means an individual who practices hearing aid dispensing.
(g) “Hearing aid dispenser supervisor” means a licensed hearing aid dispenser or licensed audiologist who supervises a limited licensee who is studying hearing aid dispensing for the purpose of becoming eligible to sit for the licensure examination.
(h) (1) “Hearing aid dispensing” means performing, conducting, and interpreting hearing assessment procedures to determine the type and extent of hearing loss for the purpose of:
(i) Fitting and ordering suitable hearing instruments, including prescription hearing aids;
(ii) Selecting suitable hearing instruments;
(iii) Programming a hearing aid by selecting and determining the frequency response, compression, output, gain, or other parameters of the hearing aid for initial wear by an individual or any required alterations throughout the use of the hearing aid;
(iv) Making ear molds or ear impressions; and
(v) Providing appropriate counseling.
(2) “Hearing aid dispensing” includes:
(i) An act pertaining to the ordering, selling, renting, leasing, or delivering of a hearing instrument, including a prescription hearing aid; and
(ii) Providing maintenance or repair services for a hearing aid.
(i) “Hearing aid establishment” means an establishment that offers, advertises, or performs hearing aid dispensing.
(j) (1) “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued by the Board to practice audiology, hearing aid dispensing, or speech–language pathology, or to assist in the practice of speech–language pathology or audiology.
(2) “License” includes, unless the context requires otherwise, a limited license.
(k) “Licensed audiologist” means, unless the context requires otherwise, an audiologist who is licensed by the Board to practice audiology.
(k–1) “Licensed audiology assistant” means, unless the context requires otherwise, an audiology assistant who is licensed by the Board to assist a licensed audiologist in the practice of audiology.
(l) “Licensed hearing aid dispenser” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a hearing aid dispenser who is licensed by the Board to practice hearing aid dispensing.
(m) “Licensed speech–language pathologist” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a speech–language pathologist who is licensed by the Board to practice speech–language pathology.
(n) “Licensed speech–language pathology assistant” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a speech–language pathology assistant who is licensed by the Board to assist a licensed speech–language pathologist in the practice of speech–language pathology.
(o) “Limited license” means a license issued by the Board to practice audiology, hearing aid dispensing, or speech–language pathology, or to assist in the practice of speech–language pathology as limited by §§ 2–310 through 2–310.3 of this title.
(p) “Oral competency” means the demonstration of general English–speaking proficiency by receiving a passing score on a standardized test that the Board has approved by regulation.
(q) (1) “Practice audiology” means to:
(i) Evaluate, diagnose, manage, and treat auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear;
(ii) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or fit hearing aids to an individual for the correction or relief of a condition for which hearing aids are worn;
(iii) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or externally fit a sound processor to an osseo–integrated device for the correction or relief of a condition for which osseo–integrated devices are worn; and
(iv) Prescribe, order, sell, dispense, or externally fit a sound processor to a cochlear implant for the correction or relief of a condition for which cochlear implants are worn.
(2) “Practice audiology” includes:
(i) The conducting of health screenings;
(ii) The removal of a foreign body from the external auditory canal that is not impacted to the point it requires anesthesia;
(iii) The removal of cerumen from the external auditory canal that is not impacted to the point it requires anesthesia;
(iv) The ordering of cultures and bloodwork testing as it relates to the auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear;
(v) The ordering and performing of in–office, nonradiographic scanning or imaging of the external auditory canal; and
(vi) The ordering of radiographic imaging as it relates to the auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear.
(3) “Practice audiology” does not include:
(i) Surgery using an instrument, including a laser, a scalpel, a needle, cautery, a cryoprobe, or a suture, in which human tissue is cut, burned, vaporized, removed, or otherwise permanently altered by mechanical means, laser, ionizing radiation, ultrasound, or other means;
(ii) Osseo–integrated device surgery;
(iii) Cochlear implant surgery; or
(iv) The preparation, operation, or performance of radiographic imaging.
(r) “Practice speech–language pathology” means to apply the principles, methods, and procedures of measurement, prediction, evaluation, testing, counseling, consultation, and instruction that relate to the development and disorders of speech, voice, swallowing, and related language and hearing disorders, to prevent or modify the disorders or to assist individuals in cognition–language and communication skills.
(r–1) “Sound processor” means a nonsurgical, external unit that attaches to an internal osseo–integrated device or cochlear implant.
(s) “Speech–language pathologist” means an individual who practices speech–language pathology.
(t) “Speech–language pathology assistant” means an individual who:
(1) Meets the minimum qualifications established by the Board that shall be less stringent than those established by this title to license speech–language pathologists;
(2) Does not work independently; and
(3) Works under the direct supervision of a speech–language pathologist licensed under this title.
(u) “Telehealth” means the use of telecommunications and information technologies for the exchange of information from one site to another for the provision of health care to an individual from a provider through hardwire or Internet connection.