Maryland Health Occupations Section 2-101

      (a)      In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.

      (b)      "Audiologist" means an individual who practices audiology.

      (c)      "Board" means the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Speech-Language Pathologists.

      (d)      "Fit hearing aids" means:

            (1)      Solely for the purposes of choosing, adapting, or selling hearing aids or for the use of a member of a health occupation that has a professional concern about human hearing, to measure human hearing by any means, including the preparation of an audiogram by means of an audiometer and evaluation of the audiogram;

            (2)      To make an impression of a human ear for the purpose of building an ear mold; or

            (3)      To provide advice about the choice or use of a hearing aid by a hearing impaired individual.

      (e)      "Hearing aid" means:

            (1)      Any instrument or device that is designed for or represented as being capable of improving or correcting impaired human hearing; or

            (2)      Any part or accessory of the instrument or device.

      (f)      "Hearing aid dispenser" means an individual who provides hearing aid services.

      (g)      (1)      "License" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued by the Board to practice audiology, to provide hearing aid services, or to practice speech-language pathology.

            (2)      "License" includes, unless the context requires otherwise, a limited license.

      (h)      "Licensed audiologist" means, unless the context requires otherwise, an audiologist who is licensed by the Board to practice audiology.

      (i)      "Licensed hearing aid dispenser" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a hearing aid dispenser who is licensed by the Board to provide hearing aid services.

      (j)      "Licensed speech-language pathologist" means, unless the context requires otherwise, a speech-language pathologist who is licensed by the Board to practice speech-language pathology.

      (k)      "Limited license to practice audiology" means a license issued by the Board as limited by § 2-310 of this title to practice audiology.

      (l)      "Limited license to practice speech-language pathology" means a license issued by the Board as limited by § 2-310.2 of this title to practice speech-language pathology.

      (m)      "Limited license to provide hearing aid services" means a license issued by the Board to provide hearing aid services as limited in § 2-310.1 of this title.

      (n)      (1)      "Practice audiology" means to apply the principles, methods, and procedures of measurement, prediction, evaluation, testing, counseling, consultation, and instruction that relate to the development and disorders of hearing, vestibular functions, and related language and speech disorders, to prevent or modify the disorders or assist individuals in hearing and auditory and related skills for communication.

            (2)      "Practice audiology" includes the fitting or selling of hearing aids.

      (o)      "Practice speech-language pathology" means to apply the principles, methods, and procedures of measurement, prediction, evaluation, testing, counseling, consultation, and instruction that relate to the development and disorders of speech, voice, swallowing, and related language and hearing disorders, to prevent or modify the disorders or to assist individuals in cognition-language and communication skills.

      (p)      "Provide hearing aid services" means to:

            (1)      Fit hearing aids; or

            (2)      Sell hearing aids at retail.

      (q)      "Speech-language pathologist" means an individual who practices speech-language pathology.