Audiology Today July/August 2019
The American Academy of Audiology promotes quality hearing and balance care by advancing the profession of audiology through leadership, advocacy, education, public awareness, and support of research. Dive into the July/August 2019 Audiology Today issue below!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | Confidence Within Our Profession
Recently, I was finally able to get our Inspiration Award winner, Braden Baker, his official award. When you’re a driven and passionate 11-year-old who has raised over $120,000 to help others hear and has been on The Ellen Show, you have a lot of amazing opportunities.
KNOW HOW | Lessons for a New Professional Becoming a Clinical Supervisor
As a new professional, I’ve had to learn how to become a clinical supervisor. While I learned the needed skills, I was fortunate to have very supportive, talented colleagues, as well as consistent contact from clinic coordinators at local universities.
Audiological Counseling Practices: Survey of VA Dispensing Audiologists
Learn more about the topics that VA audiologists usually discuss with their patients and how much time they are spending with their patients to provide audiological counseling.
Embracing Change in Audiological Treatment: Over-the-Counter Hearing Devices
The Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Act (FDARA), signed into law in August 2017, included language that required the FDA to establish a new category of OTC hearing devices. The law requires the FDA to publish proposed regulations for these devices by August 18, 2020, and once the regulations are drafted, to allow a period for public comment.
The Terminology of False and Exaggerated Hearing Loss
Benefits would accrue from adopting a single term or phrase to refer to the topic. This word or phrase would unify the basic meaning—and only that meaning—of all the other terms, while avoiding their illusion of accuracy and specificity. A single expression would allow greater equivalence in clinical communication, professional literature, research, and management.
Broaching Difficult Conversations: Recommendations for Audiologists
Among the seven characteristics of person-centered care, the sixth characteristic—a holistic outlook for those we serve—draws attention to our need to confront the uncomfortable with patients. Two such uncomfortable topics include childhood bullying and encroaching dementia.
Essential Oils for Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vertigo
Essential oils have not been proven to be effective for hearing loss, tinnitus relief, or vertigo despite the claims made on numerous websites. While user testimonials abound, personal statements are not a substitute for proper medical care to establish a cause for these problems.
PUBLIC RELATIONS | Reach Your Ideal Patient and Stay in Touch
There are many companies that target potential customers by basing their reach on their current customers. While that is an effective way to know that you’re reaching prospects, you may not be reaching the customers you want and your ideal audience/customer may still be out there.
CODING AND REIMBURSEMENT | Potential Pitfalls in Cochlear-Implant Billing and Reimbursement
As cochlear implant awareness increases and more individuals receive cochlear implants, the demand for related audiological services is growing across the country. To meet this need, many audiologists have begun to add, or are considering adding, cochlear implant services to their practices.
FOCUS ON FOUNDATION | Getting to Know the New Trustees
This year, the American Academy of Audiology Foundation welcomes five new trustees to help carry on the Foundation’s philanthropic mission.
ABA SOUNDING BOARD | American Board of Audiology Certification: A look at changes in the certification process
The significant changes in the American Board of Audiology (ABA) certification process are generating a number of questions from current and prospective certificants.
SAA SPOTLIGHT | Say the Word “Survey”: Inspiring Data-Driven Change for Audiology Externships
Since the creation of the AuD, many conversations have taken place to evaluate audiology education and the externship, but few of those have included large perspectives from significant stakeholders—students and recent graduates.
ACAE CORNER | Infusing Evidence-Based Practice in AuD Education: Report from the 2019 Clinical Education Forum
The fourth annual Clinical Education Forum was held the morning of Saturday, March 30, 2019, at the Academy’s Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
AUDIOLOGY ADVOCATE | Captioned Phone Services: Best-Practice Guidance
In April 2019, the American Academy of Audiology (Academy) and the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA), released the document Suggested Best Practices for Audiologists’ Determination of Need for Captioned Phone Services.
ACADEMY NEWS | Differentiating Fact from Fiction: The Challenge to Members for Outreach in Hearing Health Care
In an article by a graduate student at the University of Maryland-Baltimore (UMB), Amanda Labuza spoke to the importance of outreach and relayed her experience with UMB’s Neuroscience Outreach and Volunteer Association (NOVA).