Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textNicole Behne is an expert in creating workplace solutions for people in business who are hard of hearing.As a marketing executive with a significant hearing loss, she has learned how to adapt to challenging situations in many corporate environments utilizing technology, spatial awareness and educating her peer group on best practices for engaging with her.  Nicole is passionate about generating awareness and providing practical solutions to the ever-growing class of business professionals with hearing loss.It’s not easy to navigate the business world with a hearing loss. It can be exhausting and cause reduced productivity due to depression, social isolation, and listening fatigue. For coworkers it can create confusion, and reduce collaboration.Awareness, education, and customized solutions are the keys to improving retention and employee engagement with people who are hard of hearing.Hearing Inclusion creates workplace solutions for people in business who are hard of hearing. Connect with Nicole: Website | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textI can't believe it...The Hearing Matters Podcast has been raising awareness of hearing healthcare for almost 4 years. As we celebrate the release of our 100th episode, our team would like to extend our gratitude and thank you for your support! You carve out time in your busy schedule to hangout with us to talk about hearing aids, ear wax, and best practices...that's so cool!In celebration of our 100th episode, we wanted to reflect on the last four years in the podcasting space. I am a firm believer that podcasting is positively influencing the hearing healthcare industry. Patients can learn about best practices and what to expect at their hearing aid fitting appointment in the comfort of their home. You see, hearing healthcare and hearing aids don't have to be confusing! In fact, that's one of the many reasons we started the Hearing Matters Podcast ~ to assist patients in making an educated decision regarding their hearing healthcare. It's safe to say we're doing just that.With 100 episodes released, we've helped people in 90 different countries and 2,235 different cities. What started out as a resource to help patients at the local level turned into a global resource. However, we couldn't have helped this many people without the help of our guests! They are all incredible and we appreciate them dedicating their time. Alone we can't do much. Together we can change the world. I am looking forward to releasing another 100 episodes. Until next time, Hear Life's Story! Cheers, Blaise M. Delfino, M.S. HIS Founder and Host Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textThe Hearing Healthcare Model: A Team-Based ApproachThis year's World Hearing Day theme was "Ear and Hearing Care for All. Let's Make It A Reality." World Hearing Day 2023 highlighted the importance of integrating ear and hearing care within primary care.Our World Hearing Day Guests: - Dr. Abram Bailey and Dr. Steve Taddei | HearingTracker- Dr. Douglas L. Beck Au.D.| Cognivue, Inc.- Dr. Mark Campbell-Foster | Redux- Gael Hannan and Shari Eberts | Hear & Beyond- Dr. Dave Fabry | Starkey HearingDr. Amit Gosalia, AuD, FNAP | AudBoss In this episode, we discuss: 1. How primary care physicians play an integral role in the hearing healthcare industry.2. The importance of getting your hearing checked.3. The comorbidities linked to untreated hearing loss.4. What companies and providers are doing to create greater access and affordability to hearing healthcare.With this theme, the communication objectives were to:Draw attention of decision makers in governments and civil society groups towards the WHO’s recommendations regarding integration of ear and hearing care into PHC.Encourage governments to integrate primary ear and hearing care into training programmes for health care providers at primary level.Call attention of primary level health care providers (health workers and physicians) towards the needs of people with hearing loss and ear disease.Inform people about the importance of ear and hearing care and encourage them to seek services. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textNicole is an expert in creating workplace solutions for people in business who are hard of hearing.  As a marketing executive with a significant hearing loss, she has learned how to adapt to challenging situations in many corporate environments utilizing technology, spatial awareness and educating her peer group on best practices for engaging with her.  Nicole is passionate about generating awareness and providing practical solutions to the ever-growing class of business professionals with hearing loss. Nicole Behne creates workplace solutions for people who are hard of hearing (HOH). Her work transforms an invisible challenge negatively impacting 12% of America’s workforce into environments where employees are more engaged, included, and productive.  It is not easy to navigate the business world with hearing loss. Studies prove hearing loss can often cause reduced productivity due to depression, social isolation, and listening fatigue in the workplace. As a Fortune 300 marketing executive with a significant hearing loss, Nicole has learned how to adapt to challenging situations in many workplace environments. From board rooms to manufacturing floors, Nicole has learned how to utilize technology, spatial awareness and education to help her peer group achieve best practices when engaging employees who are HOH. Nicole is passionate about advocating for and providing practical solutions to the ever-growing class of business professionals with a hearing loss disability. Each space and situation present unique opportunities to find efficient and effective ways to navigate the hurdles that affect individuals with hearing loss. She understands the value of a company’s diverse workforce and leads the charge to make sure everyone is “heard.” She has launched Hearing Inclusion to help DEI leaders and HR teams conduct environmental assessments, develop customized plans of action, and produce individualized coaching programs.Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textPrior to founding AuraFuturity, Andrew had previous experience in international sales, marketing, product management, and general management. Audio has been both of abiding interest and a market he served professionally in these roles. Andrew has been deeply embedded in the hearables space since the beginning and is recognized as a thought leader in the convergence of hearables and hearing health. He has been a strong advocate for hearing care innovation and accessibility, work made more personal when he faced his own hearing loss and sought treatment All these skills and experiences are brought to bear at AuraFuturity, providing go-to-market, branding, and content services to the dynamic and growing hearables, hearing health, and broader communication spaces. Andrew joins us on the Hearing Matters Podcast to celebrate World Hearing Day. This year's theme is "Ear and Hearing Care for All. Let's Make It a Reality." With this theme, the communication objectives are to:Draw attention of decision makers in governments and civil society groups towards the WHO’s recommendations regarding integration of ear and hearing care into PHC.Encourage governments to integrate primary ear and hearing care into training programmes for health care providers at primary level.Call attention of primary level health care providers (health workers and physicians) towards the needs of people with hearing loss and ear disease.Inform people about the importance of ear and hearing care and encourage them to seek services.On this day, WHO will launch a new training manual - Primary ear and hearing care training manual. The manual will be accompanied with trainer’s handbook and other community resources.Ear and hearing problems are among the most common problems encountered in the community.Over 60% of these can be identified and addressed at the primary level of care.Integration of ear and hearing care into primary care services is possible through training and capacity building at this level.Such integration will benefit people and help countries move towards the goal of universal health coverage. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textMark Campbell-Foster is the Director of Audiology Sales and Marketing. He joins Redux with more than 13 years of experience as an audiologist who has worked in both the clinical setting and in the hearing healthcare industry.  Mark has a lifelong history of hearing loss and uses bilateral cochlear implants. As a child, he grew-up with hearing loss and worked with many wonderful audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals that influenced his life for the better. This fueled Mark’s desire to be an audiologist so that he could continue to be a voice and advocate for those with hearing loss. Mark joins Redux with the excitement of being able to bring better hearing care to thousands of patients every day, around the world.  Mark holds a doctoral degree in Audiology from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a concentration in American Sign Language/Deaf Studies from the College of the Holy Cross. What is Redux? Redux is an ultra-efficient evaporation system that leaves hearing instruments sounding their best through complete and verified moisture removal.Redux Launches NEW @Home DryerRedux @Home will achieve complete moisture removal like the Pro models, only in ~2 hours' time @Home where the patient can be most proactive in maintaining their hearing instruments' performance and reliability. Redux has done it again, developed and patented a completely new way of drying to achieve verified complete moisture removal, now @Home for the first time ever.Redux Launches NEW ProLite for Hearing Care ProfessionalsThe new Redux Pro Lite is the same professional dryer as the Pro with a new place to view data via free Redux app. The Pro Lite Bundle will include a preorder of four Redux @Home dryers to ship in June for the same price as the Redux Pro. The @Home dryer will resell for $399.99.How does Redux remove all moisture?First, Redux pulls a vacuum on the device to reduce the evaporation point of water.Liquid turns to gas and is pulled out of the device.A valve is opened to introduce fresh dry air into the chamber that pushes the vapors outside the system across a humidity sensor.The process repeats until the humidity sensor confirms all moisture is removed.The process stops and the amount of moisture removed is displayed on the screen. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textAudiology Services Summer Internship In January 2020, Audiology Services received an inquiry from Meghan Okken, an undergraduate student from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania studying communication sciences and disorders, most commonly known as speech-language pathology. Meghan was in need of audiology observation hours for her clinical observations course. Observation hours allow students to observe professionals in the communication sciences and disorders field, which assists in their clinical setting decision making process. When Meghan visited our office for the day, we were impressed with her professionalism and how she interacted with our patients. Following Meghan's visit to our office in January, we held a team meeting to discuss offering Meghan a full-time summer internship position. When we held the summer internship interview in early March, Meghan accepted the position with enthusiasm. The Importance of the Summer InternshipA few years ago, I (Blaise) was an undergraduate student studying speech-language pathology at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. It was a requirement to obtain clinical observation hours before graduation. My classmates and I needed 25 speech hours and 5 audiology hours. I was grateful for the supervisors who donated their time and allowed me and my fellow classmates to schedule observation hours in various clinical settings. Encompassing an understanding of the observation process, I personally wanted to open an internship position for an undergraduate student studying communication sciences and disorders. In addition, I've personally had mentors throughout and following my undergraduate and graduate studies. That being said, paying it forward was important to me. The purpose behind the summer internship position was to provide the opportunity for a student to observe first-hand, the processes and procedures in the private practice setting. These processes and procedures include but are not limited to: •Scheduling patients •Rescheduling patients •Greeting patients •Otoscopy •Tympanometry •Comprehensive audiological evaluations •Hearing aid clean and checks •Real ear measurement •Scheduling/hosting effective team meetings  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textIf anyone knows how to build a mobile audiology practice, it's Dr. Brad Stewart! The buzz word in audiology today is "access." But, what does that mean and how does mobile audiology address this problem? Simple. Hearing care providers are hitting the road and bringing their services to patients in nursing homes, independent living centers, and the like. Gearing Up to Hit the Road   When Brad graduated with his Doctorate of Audiology, he knew he wanted to build a business model that implemented best practices and resulted in positive patient outcomes. What attracted Brad to mobile audiology was the low overheard costs and the ability to make a difference in the lives of the hearing impaired on a personal level. Brad talks about the importance of letting go of the ego and practicing empathy. When he first started his mobile audiology practice, he reported that he was calling bingo at a few of the nursing homes. You see, Brad didn't care about his title. He cared about reconnecting his patients to their family members and friends. Making Adjustments in Real Time to the Patient's Hearing Aids Brad had a patient who had a really challenging hearing loss. She wanted to be able to go to different social hours at her senior living community,  hang out with her friends, and have conversations while live music was going on, which is a tough situation. The environment she wanted to be in had high ceilings, echo, overall, the room had poor acoustics. Brad visited her community after hours one evening when one of the social gatherings were being hosted. He brought his laptop, connected to her hearing aids, and made adjustments to her hearing aids in real time! During this "appointment," they had a little audience - a little crowd of people that were all curious what they were doing. They were all gathered around watching Brad make adjustments to this woman's hearing aids, and then seeing her reaction in real time as she was hearing better! The residents that were watching them made statements line, "Oh my goodness, this is incredible!" Brad reports this was a very powerful experience for him and his patient. The Mobile Practice You're a skilled hearing care expert who gets great results for your patients.BUT you're understandably concerned about third party "insurance" companies who don't pay even close to what you're worth, media that portrays you as the greedy middleman, and ongoing disruption and commoditization from outside forces.You entered this profession to provide patient care at the highest level, but now you're feeling the pressure to make compromises.You're looking for something different. Something that lets you provide that extravagant, world-class, ear-to-ear grin level of care...and get paid accordingly.A good mobile audiology practice with a steady stream of patients consists of 5 simple business systems: Marketing, Education, Conversion, Treatment, and Follow-Up System. Ready to hit the road and become that hearing care rockstar you know you can be? Apply now and cConnect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textShari first noticed her hearing loss in her mid-twenties. It has gotten progressively worse since then and she now wears hearing aids every day to hear better. She is lucky to have only mild tinnitus so far.Shari doesn’t want her hearing loss to define her, but she finds that being open about it can help relieve the pressure of always having to hear everything perfectly. She hopes this blog will serve as an outlet for her experiences and a community for those dealing with similar issues.She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Duke University.Passionate Advocate, Author & SpeakerShari is a passionate hearing health advocate and writes and speaks frequently on hearing loss topics.The hearing loss journey doesn’t come with an operating manual—until now. Shari’s book Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss, co-authored with Gael Hannan, is the ultimate survival guide for living well with hearing loss. Available wherever books are sold.Documentary Film ProducerShari is an Executive Producer of We Hear You, an award-winning documentary that shines a light on the hearing loss experience. Created during the pandemic, the film strives to build awareness, community and a more inclusive world for all. Watch the trailer here. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Send us a textDr. Jason believes that great service comes with great knowledge. He prides himself with staying up to date on all of the latest technology and treatments to best serve his patients. He also has a specialty in tinnitus management. He is here to help find solutions to your hearing, tinnitus and sound sensitivity needs.“There is not one perfect technology for everyone. It is our job to find the best technology to compliment your lifestyle and your hearing profile.  Through our process, I am confident we can come to that solution.”Dr. Jason graduated from A.T. Still University in 2010. He started with Audiology Concepts as a student under Dr. Paula Schwartz in 2008. In 2017, he bought the practice and plans to continue the legacy Dr. Schwartz created. You can expect the best experience with friendly and knowledgeable staff.Jason served as an adjunct assistant professor for A.T. Still University from 2016 to 2019 teaching the tinnitus management course. He has served on several committees, is a Minnesota Sight and Hearing Association board member, was recently elected to The Academy of Doctors of Audiology Board, and serves as president-elect of the Minnesota Academy of Audiology.When not in the office, you can find Dr. Jason outdoors and spending time with his family and friends. The full transcript will be available by 3 pm EST on January 31, 2023. We appreciate your patience with the delayed upload.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Twitter: @hearing_mattasFacebook: Hearing Matters Podcast