An employee has a hearing referral. What happens now?

Explain what the referral does and does not establish

A hearing screen can lead to a recommendation for a fuller assessment. The recommendation alone does not diagnose a condition, identify its cause, or establish fitness for work. Ask the employee if they have received a private explanation from the screening clinician and know how to contact that person.

Possible response: “I can help you arrange the follow-up. The clinician can explain what they found and what the next visit is for. Would you like their contact details, or help with the practical arrangements?” Do not ask the employee to show the result to a supervisor to obtain a routine scheduling adjustment.

Get the four details that make a referral usable

Where possible, the referring clinician should supply these details directly to the employee. If clarification is needed, use the agreed clinical channel rather than copying the report into a general HR mailbox.

• Destination: the professional or service to contact, with a usable phone number or booking route.
• Timing: how soon the clinician advises assessment, and whom to contact if an appointment is unavailable in that time.
• Records: which documents to bring and how the receiving clinician can obtain them privately.
• Practical arrangements: who can clarify fees, company support, travel, and time away from the shift.

Find the barrier without asking for a diagnosis

If the employee has not been able to book, ask “Is the difficulty the appointment time, the cost, the location, or getting through to the clinic?” One employee may need permission to leave a shift; another may simply have an old phone number. Solve the practical problem and let the clinician deal with medical questions.

Keep the administrative note brief: appointment offered, employee has the contact details, or scheduling support requested. If the employee describes a new sudden loss of hearing, advise immediate medical attention rather than waiting for the routine appointment. NIDCD treats sudden deafness as a medical emergency. HR does not need to establish the cause before helping someone obtain care.