Hearing Matters Podcast: Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Welcome back to the Hearing Matters Podcast! We are excited to bring you a special episode featuring Dr. Dave Fabry, Jake Spano, and Michael Scholl. Jake Spano, Starkey’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, and Michael Scholl, EVP of Corporate Relations, kick off the holiday season by talking to Dave Fabry about Starkey Cares, its Neighbors in Need program, how hearing professionals can participate, and why something as small as the sound of jingling coins can make such a huge impact on a person’s life.Click here for the link to the full transcript.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

In this episode, Blaise Delfino discusses the benefits of the hearing aid take home demo. After listening to this episode you will learn:How to implement the hearing aid take home demo in your practice.How the take home demo differentiates your practice when compared to your competitors. How the take home demo is a win-win for you, your practice, but most importantly, your patients. Patients wait an average of 7-10 years to address their hearing loss. They've made the appointment to visit your office, now is the time to help them! As hearing healthcare providers, we need to ensure these individuals have the best experience possible. If they leave their first appointment with paperwork and a few prices written at the top of their audiogram, we have let them down. For the patients who are unsure if they need hearing aids or are unsure if hearing aids will help them, these individuals may benefit from participating in your take home demo program. The take home hearing aid demo is not for every patient, and we are not recommending or encouraging clinicians to send every patient home with demos prior to purchasing. However, a take home hearing aid demo program can positively influence patient acquisition and your gross revenue.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

People who suspect they have hearing loss wait an average of 7-10 years before they address it. Now, you may be asking yourself, "Why do people wait so long to address their hearing loss?" Oftentimes, it's denial. They think of hearing loss and automatically envision their grandfather's hearing aids from the 70's and 80's. They were big, clunky, and made all sorts of noises. They may think to themselves, "There's no way I have hearing loss. My family and friends just mumble. Plus, I cannot be seen with those big clunky things in my ears! They make so much noise!" However, hearing technology has advanced so much in the past 20 years. They're discreet, stylish, and hardly whistle thanks to feedback cancellation technology! As a hearing healthcare provider and private practice owner, I've heard it all. Living in the information age, our patients can Google "What hearing aids should I buy," and they're inundated with different styles and brands of hearing technology. With that said, when new patients visit our office, they are aware of the different styles and brands of hearing aids. I always thank them for doing their research prior to their visit. This shows me that they are motivated to address their hearing loss.  When new patients visit your office, they are looking to you, the expert in hearing healthcare, to help them understand speech in complex listening situations. While they struggle to understand speech in simple/quiet listening situations, they really want to engage in the family conversation during the holidays or at their grandchild's soccer game. Reviewing the patients audiometric data and speech in noise scores is an essential part of the appointment. However, what patients are most interested in is "test driving" the hearing technology. As hearing healthcare professionals, now more than ever, it is essential we deliver a first-class experience to new and current hearing aid users. The in-office hearing aid demo accomplishes the following: Patients hear what they have been missing for many years.Allows the patient to hear their spouse/loved one's voice with increased clarity for the first time in years. Experience how the technology increases speech understanding in noisy situations when competing background is being played in the background. Allows the patient to physically touch and feel the hearing aids. Assists in the hearing aid recommendation process, specifically the style of hearing aid. Ex. If a patient presents with decreased dexterity and vision, they will most likely do best with a custom rechargeable hearing aid. The primary purpose of hearing technology is to increase speech understanding and decrease listening effort. The majority of the patients I've treated with hearing loss all want to solve one major problem they experience: understanding speech in noise. Consumers today are being bombarded with hearing aid advertisements. As hearing healthcare professionals, we have the opportunity to create brand relevant memories with the in-office hearing aid demo.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

In this episode of the Hearing Matters Podcast, Blaise Delfino interviews pediatric audiologist, Dr. Kelsey Kerkhove. During this episode Blaise and Dr. Kerkhove discuss: Why Dr. Kerkhove chose to specialize in pediatric audiology.  How empathy is essential when telling parents their child presents with hearing loss. How to tell parents their child presents with hearing loss and next steps. The importance of the team approach between the pediatric audiologist, speech-language pathologist, and the parents. How remote microphone technology enhances a child's overall listening experience and speech-language development. Dr. Kerkhove's support materials for patients whose child was recently diagnosed with hearing loss. Originally from the midwest, Dr. Kerkhove attended Purdue University for her undergraduate training, majoring in Communication Sciences Disorders. She stayed at Purdue to complete her Clinical Doctorate in Audiology and then went back home to Cincinnati, Ohio to complete her pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. That’s where she found her passion for pediatric audiology and family centered care. She now resides in sunny Southern California and practices at a large medical center where she sees children of all ages, backgrounds, and social circumstances.She loves what she does, but wanted to find a way to connect with families outside of the walls of the clinic or hospital, which led her to creating her online platform that discusses all things pediatric audiology. Click here to visit Dr. Kerkhove's website and schedule your free, 15-minute consultation! Was your child recently diagnosed with hearing loss but you're having difficulty understanding the test results? Dr. Kerkhove can help!  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Battling Strong Economic HeadwindsIf you’re a private practice owner, chances are you’ve navigated a business during strong economic headwinds. Running a business during the COVID-19 pandemic was exhausting. I still remember March of 2020 like it was yesterday. Our team was standing in the waiting room talking about the coronavirus and how it was rapidly spreading across the United States. Pennsylvania’s governor reported that all non-essential businesses are encouraged to shut down for 2-weeks to slow the spread. Now, we couldn’t fathom closing our practice for two weeks straight – we’d ever only take 1-week vacations, so this was concerning to us because we wanted to make sure that our patients still had access to us. However, our patient’s health and safety are always #1, so we shut down for the recommended 2-weeks. Well, 2-weeks turned in to almost 3.5 months of being shut down. It was during this time of shut down our team could have given up. However, we banded together to ensure everyone was healthy, safe, and that our patients were being kept in the loop, if you will. Navigating a small business during the COVID-19 pandemic was not easy, but it all came down to teamwork, leaning into vulnerability, and practicing transparent communication. I personally know the anxiety and fear that many private practice owners experienced during the pandemic.Are We Headed Towards a Recession?Recovering from the pandemic was hard enough, now numerous financial analysts and institutions are reporting that a recession is inevitable. Chances are, you and your business partners are aware of these strong economic headwinds, and your employees know the GDP has been down for two consecutive months. So, now what? Do we just start panicking and believe that the sky is going to fall? Absolutely not. A calm sea never made a skilled sailor.I know what it is like to navigate a business during unprecedented times. I know what it is like to lose sleep over making payroll. I know what it is like to cut your pay in half so you can pay your employees and vendors. Countless media outlets continue to share the doom and gloom of an impending recession. However, our goal with this “business best practice series,” is to decrease the anxiety that fellow private practice owners are experiencing, and offer real-life, data-driven decisions that can be implemented today to safeguard your practice against these strong economic headwinds.  What Can Our Practice Do Today?Review Variable Costs Leverage TechnologyReview KPIs and Focus on Patient Retention and Acquisition  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

In 2016, April was diagnosed with Otosclerosis, a form of hearing loss caused by an abnormal growth of the bone in the middle ear. It started off mild/moderate, however, it is now moderate/severe and is progressively getting worse. She relies on hearing aids every single day. April aka @hardtohearit has used her hearing loss journey as a way to spread awareness and connect with other people in the hearing loss community. Her goal is to help as many people struggling with their hearing loss.Connect with April on Social Media Instagram: @hardtohearitWebsite: Hearing Loss | Hard to Hear ItPurchase Her Hearing Journals: April's Online Store Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

It's true. Running a private audiology practice can be hard. Heck, running any small business is hard! However, when you lean into mentorship and  surround yourself with like-minded individuals, this is when business owners experience the growth they've been looking for. In this episode, Blaise Delfino interviews Dr. Amit Gosalia, co-founder of AudBoss.  About AudBossAudBoss: Private Practice Owners is a private Facebook group for 850+ private practice OWNERS (Audiologists and HIS) to inspire, support and learn from one another. We are focused on improving business efficiencies and promoting best practices in the hearing industry.The annual AudBoss Private Practice Summit is open to anyone interested in learning more about private practice. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran with years of knowledge to share or a newbie dreaming of someday owning your own clinic, we invite you to JOIN US and see what all the buzz is about!AudBoss FoundersDr. Amit Gosalia Dr. G, as his patients call him, started his hearing career working for a hearing aid dispenser in Phoenix. After realizing there had to be some form of didactic education and theory behind the hearing system, he jumped into Audiology. He received his M.S. from Arizona State University, and 4 years later, his Au.D. from AT Still University, where he subsequently taught the Amplification course on site for the Au.D. students.His leadership in Audiology began when he joined a licensure committee and quickly learned the struggles of our profession. He became the chair of the Arizona political action committee for audiology, and then ran, and was elected President of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2006. He joined Audiology Clinic, Inc in Vancouver, WA in 2008, and then purchased it with his wife in 2012. Within 4 years, he and his wife had almost tripled their business, and decided to move back South for more sun! They sold the practice in 2017, and moved to Los Angeles, where Dr. Gosalia joined West Valley Hearing Center.Dr. Gosalia is board certified by the American Board of Audiology (ABA), and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA). He served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors for the ABA in 2012-2015 and has served as Chair of the AAA Marketing sub-committee. April Royan, M.A. April is the founder of AudBoss, a private Facebook group for private practice owners to inspire, support and learn from one another. April graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Audiology from Illinois State University in 2001 and a Master of Science in Audiology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 2003. She began her Audiology career in Naples, Florida at a busy ENT practice before working for Sonic Innovations as a Regional Training Manager for the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. In 2009, she opened her private practice, Decibels Audiology, which she and her husband Mark built to three locations, dozens of employees and hundreds of headaches before gloriously cashing out and selling the practice in 2019. Following her “retirement” from clinical practice, April and her family relocated to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, settling in the tiny town of Craftsbury on a 40 acre farm. When she’s not raising her children, chickens or piglets, she and Mark are boiling maple syrup for Royan F Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

About the Hearing Matters Podcast The Hearing Matters Podcast discusses hearing technology (more commonly known as hearing aids), best practices, and a growing national epidemic - Hearing Loss. The show is hosted by father and son - Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS and Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC-A. Blaise Delfino and Dr. Gregory Delfino treat patients with hearing loss at Audiology Services, located in Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA.  The Lehigh Valley’s First Ear Mold LabIn this episode Blaise Delfino interviews Ed Graham of ProtoCAM Additive Manufacturing in Allentown, Pa. Ed has extensive experience in the additive manufacturing field. (Additive manufacturing is more commonly known as 3-D printing.) Ed has been with ProtoCAM since 1996 after graduating from college as a polymer engineer. An Idea Meets Manufacturing Blaise met Ed at a conference where Blaise was giving a talk on Fader Plugs, the world’s first adjustable, mechanical ear plug, which he invented and patented. The ProtoCAM employees immediately wanted to get involved. They offered to help Blaise with the manufacturing of Fader Plugs. Prototyping BeginsThe Fader Plug filter was the start of ProtoCAM’s relationship with Fader Plugs. After several design iterations, Bob and Ed realized this was something that had never been developed before. Neither of them knew much about audiology in general, so it was a huge learning experience for everyone. After three iterations of the filter, it was recommended that the filter size be decreased. They did manage to decrease it by 67 percent; however, it did not function correctly. Turn-Around TimeThis technology will enable a turn-around time of only a couple of days. This is important because those that need Fader Plugs are construction workers, musicians, people with hyperacusis, or anyone around continual noxious noise. It is important to get people into Fader Plugs as soon as possible so they can preserve their hearing. New Lab is IntroducedAs a result of the partnership between Fader Plugs and ProtoCAM, the first ear mold lab ever in the Lehigh Valley has been introduced. This is groundbreaking. It is also something that ProtoCAM CEO Ron Belknap has always wanted to do: manufacture a product from start to finish. A Contribution to Society ProtoCAM is excited to be helping others maintain their hearing health. They are also very dedicated to their customers, in this case Fader Plugs, and want to manufacture only the best, highest quality goods. Also knowing that the entire product was invented and manufactured in the Lehigh Valley is thrilling. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

The Hearing Matters Podcast discusses hearing technology (more commonly known as hearing aids), best practices, and a growing national epidemic - Hearing Loss. The show is hosted by Blaise Delfino, M.S., HIS, and his father, Dr. Gregory Delfino, Au.D., CCC-A. Blaise Delfino and Dr. Gregory Delfino treat patients with hearing loss at Audiology Services in Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast