Wednesday, April 22, 8:00-11:30 am
Presenters: Alyssa Needleman, PhD; Tracy Murphy, AuD, Marie Vetter, AuD
This interactive 3-hour Learning Lab is designed to give practice owners and managers the tools and confidence to use financial data as a driver for smarter decision-making and practice growth. Attendees will bring their own practice numbers and work directly with them throughout the session, leaving with practical insights and actionable next steps tailored to their business. Through guided instruction, live demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn how to read and interpret a Profit & Loss (P&L) statement, build a realistic sales forecast, and calculate their true hourly rate. Along the way, they’ll see how small changes in revenue, expenses, or patient flow ripple through the financial picture, and how to apply these insights to everyday decisions like staffing, pricing, and service expansion. By the end, each attendee will walk away with at least three concrete action steps, plus a suite of tools, including an annotated P&L, forecasting template, and hourly rate calculator, that they can immediately use to strengthen financial decision-making and ensure long-term practice sustainability.
Wednesday, April 22, 2:15-3:15 pm
Presenter: To be announced soon
This Featured Session tackles one of the most challenging aspects of audiology practice: having open, confident conversations about pricing. Rooted in both psychology and practical communication strategies, the session explores why money is often difficult to talk about, examining cultural, personal, and professional factors that contribute to discomfort, and offers tools to shift the mindset from “selling” to “serving.” Participants will learn how to reframe discussions around non-covered services in terms of patient outcomes, long-term value, and quality of care, while gaining specific, patient-centered phrases, analogies, and storytelling techniques to normalize cost conversations. Each participant will walk away with a toolkit of conversation starters, strategies, and take-home resources to continue building financial fluency and trust with patients in their own clinical setting.
Thursday, April 23, 8:15-9:15 am
Presenters: Meagan Bachmann, AuD, MHL; Tracy Murphy, AuD
This Learning Module explores two critical strategies for modern audiology practice management: effectively incorporating audiology assistants and navigating decisions around Third Party Administrator networks. Participants will learn how assistants can enhance efficiency, improve patient access, and support clinical workflows while understanding the responsibilities, supervision requirements, and delegation strategies involved. The session also provides a clear overview of TPAs, outlining the benefits and drawbacks of joining networks and offering practical strategies for practices that remain out of network, such as transparent pricing, value based service packages, and patient friendly financing options. Through real world examples and interactive discussion, attendees will gain actionable insights to optimize care delivery, strengthen their competitive position, and align business operations with both patient needs and financial sustainability.
Thursday, April 23, 5:00-6:00 pm
Presenters: Andrea Herran, Founder & CEO, Focus HR
This Learning Module provides private practice owners with a practical introduction to the human resources (HR) responsibilities that are critical to running a successful and compliant business. Too often, clinicians transitioning into ownership underestimate the importance of HR, leaving themselves vulnerable to costly mistakes in payroll, benefits, compliance, and employee management. In this session, participants will learn the fundamentals of payroll and employee classification, understand legal requirements such as I-9 verification and labor law compliance, and explore strategies for recruiting, retaining, and managing staff effectively. Real-world examples and actionable takeaways will help attendees recognize blind spots, build strong policies, and create a healthy workplace culture. The session will also cover when and why it makes sense to bring in outside HR expertise, equipping practice owners with both knowledge and a checklist of must-haves to confidently manage the people side of their business.
Friday, April 24, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Presenters: Brenna Carrol, AuD (Moderator); Marie Vetter, AuD; Craig Kasper, AuD
This Learning Module provides audiology professionals with practical strategies to diversify revenue and strengthen financial stability through low cost, high impact services that can be implemented in private practice, ENT, or hospital settings. Participants will learn about opportunities such as tinnitus management, auditory processing disorder evaluations, hearing protection programs, and cochlear implant services. The session will highlight how to evaluate patient demand, operational needs, and potential return on investment while addressing key considerations for staffing, equipment, billing, and marketing. Through case examples and guided planning, attendees will leave with a practical framework to pilot new service lines, improving both patient care and financial resilience without significant implementation costs.
Friday, April 24, 3:15-4:15 pm
Presenters: To be announced soon
This Learning Module equips current and aspiring practice owners with the knowledge to navigate critical but often overlooked non HR aspects of running or acquiring a business. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the differences between an asset sale and a stock sale, including how each impacts taxes, liabilities, and long term growth. The session also walks through essential state and federal filings, from licensing and business registration to tax reporting and compliance requirements, highlighting common mistakes to avoid. Beyond compliance, attendees will explore practical considerations such as insurance, vendor contracts, lease agreements, and technology obligations like data security. With real world examples and practical strategies, this session will help practice owners proactively avoid pitfalls, ask the right questions of advisors, and make informed decisions that support both immediate operations and long term success.
