Cochlear implantation (CI) is a highly effective intervention for severe-to-profound hearing loss; however, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted established CI service delivery worldwide. Maintaining access to this resource-intensive procedure during public health emergencies is critical, particularly for pediatric patients in whom delays may compromise auditory and language development.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Cochlear implant programs should develop formal continuity-of-care protocols — including telehealth contingencies and prioritization frameworks — based on documented pandemic lessons to reduce service disruption in future emergencies.
A multicenter evidence base for CI service continuity planning is rare; these documented lessons could directly shape how programs worldwide structure their emergency preparedness policies.
- 01COVID-19 caused significant disruptions to cochlear implant surgeries and follow-up care across multiple centers.
- 02Multicenter design strengthens generalizability of the identified lessons.
- 03Study proposes concrete strategies for future CI service preparedness.
- 04Telehealth and remote programming are highlighted as key resilience tools.
- 05Findings are relevant to CI program managers, surgeons, and audiologists.
COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to cochlear implant services revealed systemic preparedness gaps across multiple centers.
studysupportedProposed strategies can improve future CI service preparedness.
opinionpartially supported- PMID
- 42895970
- DOI
- 10.1080/14670100.2026.2739688.
- Journal
- Cochlear Implants International
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Cochlear implant service programs across multiple centers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Intervention
- Documentation and analysis of COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to CI services
Primary outcomes
Identified lessons from pandemic-related CI service disruptions; Proposed preparedness strategies for future crises