Strategies to Promote Hearing Health-Care and the Audiology Profession
HearTECH Hub
Thursday, March 27, 5:00-6:00 pm
Moderator: Brenna Carroll, AuD and Academy Board Member
Panelists: Jason Mayer, VP, Commercial Sales, Phonak; Patti Trautwein, AuD, MA, VP, Market Access & Clinical Affairs, Cochlear America; Mikkel Knudsen, President, ReSound U.S; Søren Hvidberg Nielsen, President, Widex USA; Gary Rosenblum, President, Oticon, Inc.
In the United States, approximately 49 million adults have under or untreated hearing loss with this level expected to grow by 30 million over the next four decades. Key stakeholders committed to reducing the rate of untreated hearing loss include manufacturers, audiologists, physicians and policymakers but the role of audiologists is not always recognized as clinicians that can play an instrumental role in not only treating hearing loss, but also improving overall health outcomes. Audiologists offer comprehensive diagnostic and audiological services including evaluations, diagnostic testing and treatment of hearing and balance disorders. However, there are a variety of threats to the future of the audiology profession, such as lack of recognition by Medicare, physician views of hearing health, variation in audiology practice, narrow insurance provider networks, and lack of public awareness of audiological services. Audiologists must be ready to stand together, to clearly differentiate themselves, protect their future, raise their profile among lawmakers and other health care professionals, and ensure more adults are seeking out audiologists and their services moving forward.
During the Future Forecast session, leaders from the hearing amplification industry will offer their perspectives on how to promote the critical role the profession plays in a patient’s health care journey and how manufacturers and audiologists can reduce untreated hearing loss. They will discuss the vital and interdependent relationship between manufacturers and audiologists and the opportunity to work together to advance a common goal of demonstrating the benefits of audiological services, including how to raise awareness among primary care providers and overcome obstacles in referring patients. The panel will also describe how audiologists can differentiate themselves through technological innovations combined with the services they offer ultimately leading to improved hearing health care for millions and treatment of other comorbidities, and how best to ensure policy makers fully understand what policies are needed to reduce untreated hearing loss.
