The editorial team and I are so happy to announce the content for this latest issue of Audiology Today. We are featuring a number of comprehensive, relevant, and interesting articles, as well as some short reads on public relations, coding and reimbursement, and audiology advocacy.
This is my final assignment as Web content editor for the American Academy of Audiology (Academy).
In 2008, I had the honor of being nominated to assume the position previously held by my dear friend and colleague Dr. Jerry Northern. Talk about large shoes to fill! Jerry was then, and is now, a luminary and one of my favorite authors and lecturers in our profession. I cannot thank him enough for the inspiration, knowledge, sincerity and humor he’s shared with me (and all of you!) for decades.
Academy Pleased About Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Dear Academy Members:
In late March, the state of Indiana received a great deal of attention for passing it’s version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The American Academy of Audiology Board of Directors has been monitoring the discussion in Indiana and the concerns expressed by the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community across the country. The Academy Board could not support moving forward with AudiologyNOW! 2017 in a state that would discriminate against any of our Academy members.
Update on Academy Initiatives: Interview with President Erin L. Miller, AuD
Douglas L. Beck, AuD, speaks with Dr. Miller about hiring the new executive director, Tanya Tolpegin, reimbursement structures, itemization, bundling, unbundling, outcomes, legislative efforts, ADA, direct access, and more.
Douglas L. DLB (DLB): Hi, Erin. It’s a pleasure to speak with you! Now that we’re about in the middle of your tenure as president of the American Academy of Audiology, I’d like to get an update and see how things are going.
Academy Fellow Amy Hartman, AuD, and students and faculty at University of Wisconsin, Madison, were featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, about their work with noise prevention in the state of Wisconsin. (June 28, 2015)
Consciousness Undefined: Opinion Editorial by Douglas L. Beck, AuD, Web Content Editor
I have no idea how to define consciousness. Then again, even if I could define it, there’s roughly a zero percent probability we’d all agree. Since the beginning of time, humans have tried to figure it out. It seems important to understand the difference between being conscious and being unconscious, particularly as audiologists get more involved with brains and neuroscience, fMRI, neuroaudiology, and cognition.
