Audiology Today
September / October 2021
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | Strengthening Your Commitment to Your Audiology Community
Each audiologist must join the effort to educate and advocate in the interest of the patients we serve. We can effect positive change if we all make our voices heard.
A Talk with Lou Ferrigno: Actor, Fitness Expert Discusses Recent Cochlear Implant
As I discovered more about Lou, I found myself instantly rooting for him in his bodybuilding journey and learned that he had lost much of his hearing as a child. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet Lou on several occasions and was honored to catch up with him during Better Hearing Month to discuss his recent cochlear implant surgery.
ON TREND | New Interactive Performance Calculators Can Help You Set Goals for Growth
Measuring your practice performance can provide important information that can help you objectively identify team strengths and areas that may need improvement.
ON TREND | Intelligible Sound Anywhere for Equitable and Effective Learning
Experience the power of effortless communication with FrontRow, the premier K–12 education communication platform and classroom audio-distribution system.
Finding Audiology Marketing Success on Autopilot
As the audiology market becomes more competitive, with multiple sales channels and the proliferation of managed-care programs, it’s more important than ever for audiology private practices to be proactive about their approach to marketing.
Communication Strategies and Speech-to-Text Transcription
Speech-to-text transcription (STT) traditionally has focused on human transcribers. Currently, there is a rise in the use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology as an alternative, which is not affected by the limitations of cost and provider fatigue. Combined with mindful communication strategies, both approaches can be used to improve the patient experience.
ON TREND | Spread the Word: Hearing-Health Care Matters!
Don’t get distracted by the “noise” of industry disrupters. Instead, focus on what matters most: treating patients and educating your community about hearing health as part of overall wellness.
ON TREND | Grow Your Practice with Managed Care Patients
The hearing industry continues to evolve as consumer demand for hearing aid benefits increase. Today, 88 percent of health plans offer hearing aid benefits to attract and retain enrollees, according to the “Medicare Advantage 2021 Spotlight: First Look."
Suicide Prevention and the Audiology Provider
Many health-care providers report a lack of education and training specific to suicide prevention. Audiologists should be aware of warning signs that indicate a patient may be at risk for suicidal behavior.
ON TREND | Consistency Is Key to Providing the Best Care for Your Patients
Whether performing a comprehensive audiological assessment or verification of a hearing aid fitting with probe microphone measurements, audiologists can use integrated software solutions to maximize an efficient workflow.
ON TREND | Learn How Tele- and Mobile-Audiology Processes Can Increase Patient Reach
There are several technological tools that can help clinicians provide hearing-health care, including hearing screening and diagnostic testing outside the traditional clinic.
CODING AND REIMBURSEMENT | Telehealth Policy Basics
The need for telehealth options for audiological care was already apparent prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased use of telehealth as a mode of service provision has been necessary to provide timely access to care.
AUDIOLOGY ADVOCATE | Advocating for the Critical Role of the Audiologist: Medicare, OTC, and Beyond
There are a myriad of issues facing the profession of audiology—updating the classification and role of the audiologist in Medicare, the advent of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, and implementation of the interstate licensure compact. The critical issue at the heart of each of these topics is ensuring that the value of the audiologist.
PUBLIC AWARENESS | October Is National Audiology Awareness Month: A Personal Call for Action
While this last year or two has been challenging for many of us, we need to work together, remain strong, and continue to advocate for our profession and for the best care of the patients we serve.