About Us
History of the AABIOM
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) scope of practice for audiology includes the provision of intraoperative monitoring (IOM) and interpretation services. As a public and professional service, ASHA provides a formal mechanism through its Council for Clinical Specialty Recognition (CCSR) that leads to independent subspecialty recognition. In late 2009, an ad hoc group was formed and petitioned ASHA’s CCSR to begin the stage l application process to formally establish specialty board recognition for qualified audiologists practicing IOM. Members of the petitioning group were J. Michael Dennis, Ph.D., Daniel Schwartz, Ph.D., and Gayle E. Hicks, Ph.D. In 2010 the ad hoc specialty board recognition group was expanded to complete the Stage ll application by developing a formal structure for the specialty board recognition plan. In 2011, the CCSR formally approved specialty board recognition in IOM for qualified audiologists. Subsequently, the AABIOM was incorporated as an independent, non-profit entity whose certification recognizes nationwide those audiologists with specialized expertise in IOM. The inaugural Board members included those individuals who comprised the ad hoc specialty board recognition group.
AABIOM Mission Statement
The American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring (AABIOM) is approved as the clinical specialty recognition board on intraoperative monitoring by the Council for Clinical specialty Recognition (CCSR) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The AABIOM serves to ensure the provision of clinical intraoperative monitoring and interpretation services (IOM) to referring surgeons, health care facilities and their respective patients, by licensed and competent audiologists who demonstrate a broad fund of knowledge, advanced clinical training and particular clinical expertise in the subspecialty field of IOM. As such, the AABIOM directs and oversees a professional level subspecialty credentialing process, the end goal of which is specialty board recognition certifying an audiologist as having met specific educational, experiential and clinical competency standards, as well as the successful completion of a written examination, both to provide clinical practice in IOM , and to interpret the neuromonitoring data contemporaneously for direct dissemination to any and all members of the surgical, anesthesia, medical, and/or operating room support staff. AABIOM specialty recognition also serves as a quality assurance indicator for competent clinical service provision and qualified professional contemporaneous data interpretation by audiologists practicing intraoperative monitoring for insurance carriers, governmental agencies, professional organizations, health care facilities, credentialing bodies and legal professionals.
Eligibility Requirements, Application and Candidacy Processes
An individual interested in pursuing specialty recognition in intraoperative monitoring (BCS-IOM) must first fulfill all eligibility requirements, and then complete the application and candidacy processes.