What is Real Ear Measurement and why does it matter?

Timothy Hunsaker

Au.D., CCC-A

Desert Valley Audiology

Real Ear Measurement (REM) is a verification procedure used by audiologists to confirm that a hearing aid is delivering the correct amount of amplification for a patient's specific hearing loss. During the process, a small probe microphone is placed in the ear canal alongside the hearing aid to measure how sound is actually being delivered at the eardrum — rather than relying solely on manufacturer averages or computer simulations. This allows the audiologist to make precise adjustments based on real, measured data rather than estimates. Research consistently supports REM as the gold standard for hearing aid fitting verification, and patients fitted using this method tend to report greater satisfaction with their hearing aids.