Access to timely ear and hearing healthcare in remote Northern Territory (NT) communities is limited by geographic isolation, specialist workforce shortages, and service gaps. Delays in assessment and treatment of chronic ear disease can significantly affect hearing, education, and overall development in children. Northern Territory Hearing Services (NTHS) introduced a Teleotology model to improve access by integrating audiology, ear health nursing, and remote ENT review.
This poster presents the care journey of a nine‑year‑old child from a remote island community referred for chronic middle ear disease and hearing loss. Community‑based assessment using video otoscopy, tympanometry, and audiology was conducted by an outreach team, with findings reviewed remotely by an ENT specialist. This approach enabled diagnosis, management planning, and surgical waiting without the need for initial travel to urban centres.
Assessment identified a subtotal tympanic membrane perforation with conductive hearing loss. Following myringoplasty, post‑operative audiology demonstrated hearing within normal limits, alongside improved ear health and functional outcomes. This case illustrates how Teleotology can reduce access barriers, support timely intervention, and improve hearing outcomes for children living in remote NT communities.