audiology

University Hospital Department of Audiology

The Department of Audiology at University Hospital is dedicated in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of hearing loss in individuals of all ages.  Our audiologists work in conjunction with the otolaryngologists (ENTs) of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and in the University Hospital ENT Clinic as well as part of the University Hospital cranio-facial team.  Additionally, the Department of Audiology performs and oversees the universal newborn hearing screening program at University Hospital. The Department is home to the Cochlear Implant Center of New Jersey, which has been providing comprehensive cochlear implant services for children and adults since 1999.  In addition to providing services related to cochlear implants, the Department of Audiology also provides evaluations for the assessment, selection and verification of bone-anchored implantable devices. 

Diagnostic services include: 

  • Comprehensive audiological evaluations for the pediatric through geriatric populations, including those with special needs
  • Implantable device candidacy
  • Otoacoustic emissions screening and testing
  • Auditory brainstem responses testing (ABR)
  • Vestibular evaluations.

Implantable device manufacturers we work with:

  • Cochlear Americas- cochlear implants (now fitting the Nucleus 6 Speech Processor!) and bone-anchored implantable devices  (BP100 and BP110 devices)
  • Oticon Medical - bone-anchored implantable devices (Ponto Pro and Ponto Pro Power)

Audiologists

 

Nicole

Lisa D. Bell, Au.D., CCC-A

Lisa Bell, Au.D., CCC-A is the Audiology Director, co-founder of the Cochlear Implant Center of New Jersey and the Lead Clinical Audiologist at University Hospital. Dr. Bell received her Master of Arts in Audiology from the University of Maryland. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the Douglass College at Rutgers University and most recently her Doctorate in Audiology from the University of Florida. Dr. Bell is licensed in Audiology through the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). She has been practicing at University Hospital for over 30 years. She specializes in cochlear implants and has over 25 years of experience in the evaluation for and management of cochlear implant patients. Additionally, she manages the daily clinical operations of the Department and supervises Audiology doctoral students. Dr. Bell evaluates patients of all ages and has extensive knowledge in all aspects of diagnostic audiology.

 

Nicole

Nicole Raia, Sc.D., CCC-A, FAAA

Nicole Raia, Sc.D., CCC-A, FAAA is the Senior Clinical Audiologist in the Department of Audiology focusing her passion on improving communication in the pediatric population. She earned her Doctorate of Science in Audiology from Montclair State University, during which time she rotated through University Hospital. This rotation solidified her passion for implantable devices and a connection with the patients served here. She was thrilled to officially join the team upon graduation in 2012. In 2015 she demonstrated her commitment to pediatric patients by obtaining Specialty Certification in Pediatric Audiology though the American Board of Audiology. Dr. Raia is one of only two Audiologists in the State of New Jersey to currently hold this certification. Her current areas of interest are pediatric cochlear implantation for single-sided deafness, progressive hearing loss, bilingualism and pediatric vestibular disorders. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Raia is a member of the Craniofacial Team at University Hospital is the co-captain of the University Hospital Walk4Hearing team and serves on several research teams with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. In her free time, she is an active member of her church, community and enjoys inventing new ice cream recipes (and sharing them with her co-workers).

 

Nicole

Maya Freund, Au.D., CCC-A

Maya Freund, Au.D., CCC-A received her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Maryland, College Park with a double major in Hearing and Speech Sciences and Psychology. She then earned her Doctorate in Audiology from University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Freund completed her Fourth Year Clinical Externship at University of Maryland Medical Center where she gained experience in a wide variety of audiology specialties. Her clinical interests include comprehensive audiological evaluations, vestibular testing, and electrophysiological assessments. Dr. Freund is licensed in Audiology through the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).

 

Nicole

James Dublin, Au.D., CCC-A

James Dublin, Au.D., CCC-A received his Bachelor of the Arts degree and Doctorate degree in Audiology from Montclair State University. Dr. Dublin completed his clinical fellowship at University Hospital in 2018 where he first gained his love for implantable devices and other advancements in hearing loss technology. Following his clinical fellowship at University Hospital, Dr. Dublin practiced for 4.5 years at a prominent Ear, Nose, and Throat practice in Central New Jersey where he specialized in hearing aid fittings with the use of Real-ear measurements. Dr. Dublin also onboarded the use of novel hearing technology that utilized a nonsurgical lens to gently vibrate the eardrum in order to produce increased sound quality. Dr. Dublin is licensed in Audiology through the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).