Branches

The Hearing Center of Excellence, or HCE, established five directorates in support of its mission to address the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, research, and rehabilitation of hearing loss and auditory impairment, including audio-vestibular dysfunction often related to traumatic brain injury.

Prevention and Surveillance Branch

The Prevention and Surveillance Branch is the pillar of HCE’s core objective to prevent hearing loss among Warriors and Service members, and Veterans. HCE works with hearing conservation leaders and monitors the effectiveness of prevention and treatment measures across the VA and DoD.

Clinical Care, Rehabilitation & Restoration Branch

The Clinical Care, Rehabilitation & Restoration Branch ensures all members of the Armed Forces and Veterans suffering from hearing loss or auditory-vestibular injury receive comprehensive, coordinated, high-quality treatment. The HCE works to establish and promote evidence-based clinical standards of care and provides clinical-skills training and education across the VA and DoD.

Research Coordination Branch

The Research Coordination Branch seeks to unify DoD, VA, academic and industry research initiatives and to achieve common clinical research objectives. HCE ensures information gathered from active duty Service members and disabled or injured Veterans with service-connected tinnitus, hearing loss, and auditory issues is available to appropriate DoD and VA personnel to support gap analysis and research development.

Information Management Branch

The Information Management Branch's primary objective is to ensure hearing loss and auditory injury patient data is captured and tracked within the DoD and shared with the VA.