Rethinking the Booth: A Commentary on Implementing Boothless Audiometry for Hearing Conservation Programs

Purpose: This commentary discusses the evolving role of boothless audiometry in hearing conservation programs. It addresses space and access limitations of traditional booth-based testing and explores how boothless solutions offer alternatives for maintaining and boosting service delivery. Method: We present a conceptual discussion on the utility of boothless audiometry for hearing conservation monitoring, followed by a real-world implementation example from Department of Defense (DOD) hearing conservation clinics. Results: DOD hearing conservation programs completed over 40,000 boothless hearing tests between 2021 and May 2025, showing progressive year-over-year adoption. Patient satisfaction surveys from over 800 service members revealed positive ratings for boothless compared to traditional booth-based testing. Implementation feedback emphasized the importance of quiet testing environments and comprehensive staff training. Conclusions: Boothless audiometry represents a viable, and often underutilized, model for conducting audiometric monitoring for hearing conservation programs. Its portability, scalability, and adaptability make it particularly suited to outreach settings, resource-limited clinics, or as a contingency during facility disruptions. This commentary encourages audiologists to explore boothless approaches as complementary, not alternative, methods for increasing access to high-quality care.