THE PERFECT SOLUTION:
THE CCA-200mini PLUS AND SOLO

The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer seamlessly integrated with Solo™ delivers the soundest solution available today:

• Fastest Speed
• Best Reliability
• Highest-Quality Results, and
• Greatest Competitive Advantage

As a van operator responsible for group mobile testing, you need equipment that is faster (because of the OptiLevel™ feature and fine-tuned performance); more reliable (because it’s easy to mount and requires less cabling); higher quality (because of IntelliTesting™ automation); and more competitive (because of unique features you can customize). 

FASTER SPEED

The OptiLevel™ feature, fine-tuned performance, and Terminate Stimulus on Response (TSOR) feature add up to one thing: the fastest test speed available.

THE OPTILEVEL™ FEATURE STREAMLINES TESTING: Choosing the best starting level gives the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer more accuracy—25% better results than the competition. Choosing the optimum starting level is easy. It’s always based on the subject’s hearing threshold. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer simply queries the computer database for the subject’s previous audiogram (View Actual Screen) to select the initial stimulus levels. Starting just 10dB higher or lower than this level increases the number of presentations by over 30%! No other audiometer has the OptiLevel™ feature. Other audiometers treat all subjects the same and pay for it with slower test times.

FINE-TUNING EQUALS FAST PERFORMANCE: The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer is designed for high-volume testing. This means going back to the basics and making sure that stimulus length and random wait time between stimulus presentations are fine-tuned to give you the fastest and most reliable audiogram possible.

THE TERMINATE STIMULUS ON RESPONSE (TSOR) FEATURE DELIVERS A TRULY CUSTOM TEST: Subjects spend one-third of the test listening to the stimulus. If the subject responds halfway through the stimulus, the remaining half-second is wasted time. With TSOR the stimulus stops the instant the subject presses the response switch. The time saved adds up significantly when you consider audiometer operation over an eight-hour period. TSOR easily reduces test time by 10%.

THREE-MINUTE TEST TIME
OR FASTER

Don’t be fooled by a competitor’s claims that a Hearing Conservation test takes only three minutes. This may be possible theoretically if you can control all human variables by having a subject with perfect hearing, behaving perfectly. But we all know that “real life” and “theory” differ dramatically—especially in a mobile testing situation!

Benson Medical Instruments has created a Hearing Conservation test that controls for equipment-based variables, because these are under your control. This means including unique features to speed up the process by removing all unnecessary lag times. At Benson Medical Instruments we don’t make empty promises by guaranteeing a three-minute test every time, but we do claim to remove all equipment-based variables in making this a possibility.

BETTER RELIABILITY

Simple setup and less cabling “simply” mean greater reliability.

FOR SETUP EASE the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer—at the size of a small stack of index cards—is compact enough to easily mount inside the test booth. This means your van will no longer look like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise with a huge cluster of audiometers covered with buttons, lights, beepers, and printers. With each audiometer in its respective booth, where it should be, your van will have one clean, uncluttered control console—adding up to a more efficient work space and shorter operator training time.

FOR INSTALLATION EASE the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer  installs with a minimum of cabling. We know this is important because the majority of van service calls (four out of five to be exact) are for broken cabling and bad connections. Your best defense against time-consuming and expensive on-premise repairs is a simple installation that minimizes connections and cabling. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer is designed specifically for van operators with only one cable simultaneously carrying communication, power, and talk-over signals. Additional audiometers connect with a single cable in a configuration called a “daisy chain,” entirely and permanently eliminating patch panels and switch boxes.

In comparison, competitors’ audiometers are handled much differently. Their size demands that they be placed on shelves in the operators’ area of the van. A massive snake of cables is then used to deliver the tone from each audiometer to your subject’s ears, connect the components in the audiometer case, bring voice instructions to the sound booths, etc. This systematic design flaw can create up to 72 connections for eight audiometers—as opposed to only 24 connections for the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer. And, as previously stated, most service calls are for broken cabling and bad connections.

HIGHER-QUALITY RESULTS

The IntelliTesting™ automation feature detects errors, automatically retests, or gives the operator the opportunity for a semi-automatic retest. This all adds up to greater consistency, less operator intervention, and less time for higher-quality Hearing Conservation test results.

THE INNOVATIVE INTELLITESTING™ FEATURE understands Hearing Conservation testing. The software is designed to:

• Scan during testing and automatically flag problem responses, or conduct a retest.
• Deliver test and error correction instructions through the headsets (in 12 standard languages).
• Alert the operator if there is an attempt to manipulate test results.
• Allow for a semi-automatic manual mode—the equipment automatically uses the Modified Hughson-Westlake procedure for determining the threshold (versus the operator arbitrarily choosing what s/he considers to be the threshold).

The innovative IntelliTesting™ feature is based on extensive field-testing, in direct response to issues that have been identified by you—the independent mobile testing operator.

MARK FOR RETEST: If you think a threshold is wrong, you can simply click on one or more thresholds and the “Mark for Retest” feature will automatically retest them. In comparison manual testing, done one threshold at a time, reduces your throughput and wastes time. Of course, if you want to manually test for those hard-to-determine thresholds this can be done as well.

KEEP BUSY MODE: When the tones stop, the subject knows the test is finished. A fast subject could easily finish a minute ahead of the slowest and get bored waiting. What’s to stop him or her from disrupting others? The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer features a “Keep Busy” mode. At the end of the Hearing Conservation test, the audiometer continues to present tones and check responses, but doesn’t save new thresholds. Subjects in “Keep Busy” mode think the hearing test is still going, so they’re less likely to disturb others. As a result, your operator will have to do less retesting.

REPEAT INSTRUCTIONS: Not every subject understands how to take the test. Fixing this problem can take significant operator time. With the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer there is complete control over individual booths, so your operator can easily correct any problem. A single talk-over microphone addresses any booth to clarify the test procedure, and “Mark for Retest” quickly clears up suspect thresholds.

PROHIBIT FEATURE: This important program management feature allows you to make sure your operator conducts the OSHA-mandated Daily Calibration. Of course, you can turn off the feature, but it’s a great way to make sure this important calibration always gets done. It’s up to you. An Annual Calibration Reminder is another integral part of the Prohibit Feature and is a good internal check for making sure your audiometers are within the manufacturer’s calibration specifications. All Hearing Conservation reports automatically capture these important checks, demonstrating your continued compliance with mandated OSHA standards.

GREATER COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE

Unique features that you can customize give you a greater competitive advantage.

DELIVER EVERY LANGUAGE—UNDER THE SUN! Now you can tell your clients that you can conduct Hearing Conservation tests in any language! Benson Medical Instruments offers a multilingual voice application featuring 12 standard languages, including: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Bosnian, Somali, French, Cambodian, Russian, Hindi, Tibetan, and German. (Hear sample instructions.) System design parameters make it possible to include 20 additional factory-installed languages (installed by Benson Medical Instruments in future models, as nationwide demographic trends dictate) and 32 additional user languages (easily installed by you).

You do not have to delete any of the 12 installed languages in order to add more! And adding more languages couldn’t be easier. Simply use any PC Windows Sound Recorder, and follow the straightforward instructions with a person fluent in the language. Upon file completion, easily transfer your new language instructions over to the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer. Now, at your fingertips, you have another way to dramatically differentiate yourself from the competition.

EASILY ADDING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES* is truly a competitive advantage because testing in someone’s native language dramatically increases consistency and reduces administration time. Now your operator doesn’t need to gesticulate and gesture, demonstrating to someone who doesn’t know English how to correct an error. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer is designed to automatically detect the nature of an error and to then send the language-specific verbal correction.

Given current nationwide immigration patterns, the need for new languages is increasing exponentially. So, in the next decade, it is likely that many new languages will be added to the standard roster.

ANY COMBINATION OF LANGUAGES CAN BE SIMULTANEOUSLY USED with the CCA-200mini Plus system. What this means is that you can have a subject in booth number one taking a Hearing Conservation test in Spanish, while booths two and three are in English, and booths four, five, and six are in Hmong—or any other combination that applies to the group you are currently testing. Better yet, the seamless integration of automatic data transfer, back and forth between the current testing environment and previous test information, means that your subject (if s/he has been tested by you in the past) will automatically receive the test instruction in the language that was previously used. This seamless integration of current and past data allows for a totally flexible Hearing Conservation testing environment.

*When you win we win! At Benson Medical Instruments we are committed to helping you differentiate yourself from the competition. We will be making available suggested copy guidelines for use in promoting this new “add-a-language” feature to your potential target market. If this is of interest, please contact David directly at 612/827-2222.

A “SOUNDER” SOLUTION
TO YOUR AUDIOMETRIC 
                                        EQUIPMENT NEEDS

As the owner of a mobile testing service, you need fast, reliable equipment that delivers higher-quality results and offers a greater competitive advantage. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer clearly delivers all of these benefits, giving you a “sounder” solution to your needs. But that’s not where the unique design parameters of this system end. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer is designed to seamlessly integrate every function for the ultimate in operational ease.

OPERATIONAL EASE OF USE: It’s so simple. All your operator needs to do is push the Start button and the test begins. The seamless integration of the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer does all the rest. It automatically instructs (in the correct language of the subject if s/he has been previously tested); chooses the best test starting level with the OptiLevel™ feature; scans for problem thresholds and automatically retests (where appropriate), or flags problems for operator semi-manual retest; downloads and saves the test data to the database; and, finally, prints the language-appropriate Notification Letter to be handed out to each subject before s/he steps out of your mobile unit. While the Hearing Conservation test is taking place your operator will be prompted to enter the subject’s information (e.g., Social Security number) or select it from the database, if the subject has been tested before. This multitasking feature includes any combination of functions: add new information, edit data, and/or print reports—all while the Hearing Conservation test is progressing!

BUILT-IN FLEXIBILITY: This incredible operational ease of use also has built-in flexibility, so your operator is never locked into one course of action. (Totally integrated functionality does not mean lack of flexibility.) For example, there is a custom mix of group and individual control:

• Start all booths at once, several, or just one.
• Use talk-over in one or more booths.
• Manually test a subject while automatically testing other subjects.

OPERATIONAL SIMPLICITY: Centralized control, monitoring, and printing will dramatically reduce your operation’s complexity. The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer consolidates all audiometer control operations on one easy-to-read computer screen, for up to sixteen booths, simultaneously displaying (View Actual Screen):

• Thresholds
• Current stimulus
• On-screen audiograms and graphs
• Real-time STS calculations
• Baseline data online (so the operator can check new audiograms against historical audiograms)

SIMPLE CUSTOMIZATION: The Notification Letter, automatically available in one of 12 languages, can be easily modified.

PROFESSIONAL RESULTS: Your client’s familiarity with your service may be primarily based on the end result—Subject Notification Letters and Management Reports. The CCA-200mini Plus uses a PC printer, giving you the ability to:

• Customize all Hearing Conservation printouts/reports
• Print at the same time as testing
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism

STANDARD & CUSTOM REPORTS: This high-level print quality could never be accomplished with an audiometer strip printer. But even better, the CCA-200mini Plus audiometer includes a wide array of 13 standard reports (all available with fully incorporated demographic and exposure data) that can be customized to meet your specific client needs. These reports include:

• Subject Averages and Impairments—shows all tests with averages, including PBI and STS calculations for the current test.
• Company Roster—lists all demographic and test data for each subject.
• Subject Test—displays current test with averages.
• Subject Test STS—displays current and baseline tests with averages and STS calculations.
• Subject Summary—tabulates all tests with STS analysis; provides averages and graphical audiogram for the current test.
• Subject Notification Letter—prints a full-size letter for subject notification of the STS and medical referral results of the current test in your choice of 12 standard languages.
• Company OSHA STS List—catalogs subjects whose current test shows an OSHA STS.
• Company OSHA Recordable Shift List—names subjects whose current test shows an OSHA recordable shift.
• Company Summary—calculates and graphs the number and percentage of subjects with hearing loss, as well as those whose current test shows an OSHA STS or recordable shift.
• Company Test Schedule List—flags subjects with no test in a range of dates, or since a given date.
• Company Medical Referral List—lists all subjects with a medical referral as defined by AAO-HNS 1996.
• Company Exception List—names all subjects with missing or invalid data to ensure report validity.
• All Company List—contains all company addresses and options.

Contact Benson Medical Instruments for sample Hearing Conservation reports.

ACCURATE, SIMPLE
DATA MANAGEMENT

The following features make it easy for you to input data, validate its accuracy, move it around, and store it:

• Unlimited number of companies
• Backup and Restore feature conveniently saves your data to floppy disk
• User-defined fields allow you to store any data you wish
• Lookup lists and field defaults reduce typing
• Data validation helps ensure accurate data entry

DOING IT ALL: THE CCA-200mini PLUS AUDIOMETER
                    & SOLO™ OCCUPATIONAL DBMS

The CCA-200mini Plus audiometer is designed to give your operator the power to administer tests quickly and accurately while automatically downloading this information into Solo—the best data collection system available.

Solo gives your operator the tools to keep your Hearing Conservation program in compliance with OSHA regulations. Ease of use is evident in Solo’s design, with all subjects and audiograms conveniently displayed in the main program window. Now your operator can search for subjects by name or Social Security number, simply clicking on an audiogram to see results compared to the baseline audiogram.

Solo has a comprehensive selection of Hearing Conservation reports, and test results can be displayed several different ways with numerous Subject reports and letters. Company reports demonstrate results for the entire company. Solo can help you administer an effective Hearing Conservation program by:

• Printing notification letters in 12 languages
• Producing individual and summary Hearing Conservation reports
• Managing programs for multiple companies
• Customizing medical history questionnaires and lookup tables
• Calculating impairments, standard threshold shifts, recordable shifts, and medical referrals
• Transferring hearing data from the van audiometer
• Meeting and documenting OSHA compliance regulations—easily and economically
  
  

POWERFUL BUILT-IN FEATURES

• Manages an unlimited number of companies
• Documents subject’s ‘aural history’ with customizable Medical History questionnaire incorporating user-defined questions
• Saves your data—conveniently via Backup and Restore features—to removable media or network location
• Stores any chosen data with extensive user-defined fields
• Includes generous space for comments
• Reduces typing with lookup lists and field defaults
• Ensures accurate data entry with built-in data validation safeguards

AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS

Solo implements the NHCA Professional Guide for Baseline Revision (2000), saving your operator from the time-consuming process of manual baseline revision. Use of the NHCA guidelines gives your Hearing Conservation program the uniform and well-thought-out approach to analysis that is encouraged by NHCA and CAOHC.

• Supports OSHA Recordable 29CFR 1904.10 regulation
• Implements NHCA Baseline Revision
• Incorporates separate or same baseline for each ear
• Includes optional age correction (presbycusis)
• Delivers selectable retest period
• Allows for settings settable by company
  
  

DATA IMPORT/EXPORT—
THE ULTIMATE IN FLEXIBILITY

Solo can be used as a master database for integration of data from CCA-Plus-series audiometers, or from third-party databases.

• Define custom import and export formats
• Built-in formats for trading data with leading Hearing Conservation databases
• Data may be manually entered from keyboard
  
  

COMPREHENSIVE HEARING 
                 CONSERVATION REPORTS

Solo includes a comprehensive range of Hearing Conservation reports and letters with data and calculations to help your operator easily comply with OSHA regulations.

• Subject Averages and Impairments—all tests with averages; PBI and STS calculations for the current test.
• Subject Notification Letter—letter notifying subject of the STS and medical referral results of the current test in 12 standard languages.
• Subject Test—current test with averages.
• Subject Test STS—current and baseline tests with averages and STS calculations.
• Subject Summary—all tests with STS analysis; averages and graphical audiogram for the current test.
• Company Roster—all demographic and test data for each subject.
• Company OSHA STS List—lists subjects whose current test shows an OSHA STS.
• Company OSHA Recordable Shift List—lists subjects whose current test shows an OSHA recordable shift.
• Company Summary—calculates and graphs the number and percentage of subjects with hearing loss, as well as those whose current test shows an OSHA STS or recordable shift.
• Company Test Schedule List—lists subjects with no test in a range of dates or since a given date.
• Company Medical Referral List—list of subjects with a medical referral as defined by AAO-HNS 1996.
• Subject History—documents subject's current history responses.
• Subject History Questionnaire—prints questionnaire to be filled out by subject.
• Company Exception List—list of subjects with missing or invalid data to ensure report validity.
• All Company List—lists company addresses and options.

GET STARTED TODAY!

Solo can help take the drudgery out of OSHA compliance. Contact Benson Medical Instruments today for a no-obligation demonstration.

Solo Press Release

INDUSTRY INNOVATOR WITH
“SEAMLESS SOUND SOLUTIONS”
FOR ALL YOUR
HEARING CONSERVATION NEEDS

Once considered the “new kid on the block,” Benson Medical Instruments has now become the established leader with the only seamlessly integrated Hearing Conservation testing system available today. Maybe this is the reason why the U.S. Military continues to choose Benson Medical Instruments as its sole developer and maintainer of occupational audiometry equipment purchased since 1997. Or maybe it’s because Benson Medical Instruments continues to be at the forefront of important audiometry design breakthroughs.

BENSON MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS WAS THE FIRST TO:

• Deliver an industrial audiometer that seamlessly integrates the ability to test, store all data, and output all reports from one easy-to-use piece of equipment.
• Create an IntelliTesting™ feature that automatically scans audiograms for test problems, and responds with appropriate solutions.
• Incorporate seven standard languages, and now we’re up to 12 (in a stand-alone instrument). The CCA-220 Plus audiometer can even accommodate 20 additional factory-installed languages, and has the ability to hold 32 more, easily installed by you!
• Develop a system for ambient noise level compliance that meets ANSI standards for sound level meters. Now you can continuously monitor ambient noise and produce automatic, ongoing compliance for effective “quiet room” testing.
• Support new OSHA recordable regulations and NHCA/CAOHC baseline revision guidelines.

Most importantly, Benson Medical Instruments was the first to produce a Hearing Conservation testing system that is so comprehensive and integrated it is “seamless” in its application. We’ve brought the art and science of Hearing Conservation testing into the 21st century—where they belong.