Hearing Matters Podcast: Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

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.On this episode, we interviewed Gail Ehrens, a first time hearing aid user and speech-language pathologist with 50+ years of working with patients! 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 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. In this episode, Blaise discusses a writer’s journey to better hearing with Audiology Services director of communications Merry Sue Baum, BA. The Journey BeginsMs. Baum started wearing hearing aids at age 50. The audiologist fitted her with only one hearing aid, which wasn’t very helpful. After her husband passed away, she thought that perhaps she could have his hearing aids refitted to her needs. She called a number of audiologists, but they all told her buy new ones. Audiology Services was the only audiology practice willing to refit the used hearing aids. They put new receivers on them and reprogrammed them to her specific hearing needs. An Expansive CareerAs a writer, Ms. Baum needed to be able to hear very well. Her career was mostly as a writer at a medical university. An interview with a physician would usually only last about 15-20 minutes, since doctors are busy, and being interviewed for an article is at the bottom of their list of priorities. You get on one chance to interview a physician, so you need to be able to hear. On the GoWhen she wore only one hearing aid and went to a concert, a play or out to dinner, Ms. Baum would take it out. “It only amplified the noise around me,” she says. “I could hear better without it. Basically it was useless in those situations,” she says. “Now with two hearing instruments that can be adjusted in various environments, my hearing is enhanced, and the background noise is reduced. It’s absolutely wonderful.” Moving Forward with Hearing TechnologyMs. Baum says she has always wanted to hear and was not concerned what others thought about her needing hearing instruments. She advises anyone who is suffering from a hearing loss to get hearing instruments. As an avid concert goer, she loves having her iPhone synched to her hearing aids. At a concert she can put the instruments on the music setting. That tells the microphones in the hearing aid to focus on everything around the user, which enhances the sounds of the music. Fitting Your Brain with Hearing TechnologyMost people don’t realize that we hear with our brains, not our ears. Without hearing aids, a person with hearing loss has to struggle to hear and to understand the sounds round him/her, which fatigues the brain. People with untreated hearing loss are also at higher risk for anxiety, depression, cardiac problems, diabetes, and a host of other chronic conditions. All About Comfort The first hearing aid Ms. Baum had was a custom in-the-ear model, which she didn’t like. “It felt like I had cotton in my ear,” she says. The behind-the-ear instruments she has now are so comfortable that she forgets they are in. She has gone in the shower or to bed with them still in her ears. There is a learning curve, however, Ms. Baum says it’s well worth the time it takes to get used to wearing hearing aids.  Misinterpreting SpeechOne of the most important things about being able to hear is to not only understanding others’ words, but alConnect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

About the Hearing Matters PodcastThe Hearing Matters Podcast discusses hearing technology (more commonly known as hearing aids), best practices, and a growing national epidemic of hearing loss. The show is hosted by father and son, Dr. Gregory Delfino, Au.D., CCC-A, and Blaise Delfino, MS, HIS. They treat patients with hearing loss at Audiology Services in Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA.In this episode, Blaise Delfino speaks with Dr. Achin Bhowmik, chief technology officer at Starkey Hearing Industries.  Engineering BackgroundDr. Bhowmik earned a doctorate in engineering and served as vice president and general manager of the perceptual computing group at Intel Corporation. When Starkey’s president Bill Austin asked Dr. Bhowmik if he wanted to create technology that help make people’s lives healthier, he jumped at the chance. He moved to Starkey.Computers that Understand the WorldAt Intel, Dr. Bhowmik’s job was to create machines and computers that recognize a person’s face, his/her voice, the surrounding environment, people, and sounds and make sense of it all. Improving people’s hearing is and always will be the number one priority at Starkey. Improving people’s hearing is and always will be the number one priority at Starkey. He brough that technology and his expertise to Starkey to help people understand each other better and connect with the world. Starkey is tapping into the most advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to do a better job of amplifying sound. The newest hearing technology from Starkey makes 55 million adjustments every hour. The instruments decipher the cacophony of sound waves and turn them into what’s meaningful to the wearer. It also determines what should and shouldn’t be amplified. Keeping People Safe and HealthyIn addition to providing the best, most natural hearing possible, these new hearing aids act as a health monitor. Starkey’s newest hearing aids are the only ones that sense when a person falls and subsequently alerts his/her loved ones. It also tracks the wearer’s physical activity and his/her social engagement. Both of these activities help keep a person healthy and cognitive.  A World of InformationThe new hearing instruments can also translate between 27 languages and acts as a personal assistant. The wearer can ask the hearing aids questions and get answers spoken directly into his/her ears. It can also be set to remind the wearer that it’s time to take medication or other important tasks. Starkey is transforming hearing aids into multifunctional devices. Ears are the New Wrists With the increased awareness of the benefits of physical activity, many people are buying wrist watches that calculate the number of steps taken in a day. The new Starkey hearing instruments also tally the number of steps but there are no false positives. A person wearing a watch often moves his/her arm around and additional steps that weren’t really taken are added to the total. The Value of Hearing Healthcare ProfessionalsDr. Bhowmik says getting OTC hearing aids is not wise. It takes a trained professional to properly fit hearing instruments. Even the patient’s facial expressions and reactions are important to the professional doing the fitting. It’s also important the wearer learn to use all the technology available with the help of a hearing healthcare professional. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

In this episode Blaise Delfino talks with Dr. Dave Fabry, Chief Innovation Officer at Starkey.His Journey to AudiologyDr. Fabry planned to be a veterinarian, however, he found his fellow students in the pre-vet curriculum to be extremely competitive. He learned of a discipline known as experimental psychology while doing the job of a chinchilla tester in college. The anatomy of the chinchilla’s ears is very similar to that of human ears. While he was a master’s student at Mayo Clinic, he worked with patients who had hearing and balance disorders. That’s when he decided to go into audiology. He wanted to help patients. He went on to get a PhD and became a researcher. Patient Driven FocusDr. Fabry says inventions only become innovations when they make an impact on the market. The features most people want from hearing aids is audibility for speech and sound quality, in quiet and listening environments; reduction in background noise, using noise suppression and directional microphones; and spatial awareness. Clinicians can test patients’ spatial awareness by having the patient close his/her eyes and move around quietly and ask the patient “Where am I?” For patients with low visibility, the inability to locate sound can be life threatening. Helping the WorldDr. Fabry is licensed in Minnesota, Florida and Rwanda. He has traveled to Rwanda to help people there by providing hearing instruments. Many people there get malaria and are treated with quinine. Quinine is ototoxic, so even many children have significant hearing loss. In addition to providing hearing aids, Starkey goes into countries and develops a community of support. Wearers have a place to go to learn how to change batteries and care for their aids. Nevertheless, in most countries, even if people have a hearing insurance benefit, only 50 percent of them wear hearing aids. There is still a stigma surrounding hearing loss.Speech in NoisePatients usually first notice they’re having a hearing problem when they are in noisy environments. Dr. Fabry says he advises all clinicians to do speech in noise testing. Many say they don’t have time; however, it is imperative to a proper fitting to do speech in noise testing, along with quiet testing.Automatic classification of noise by the hearing aids is only 80 percent effective. By giving the patient the ability to choose which sounds he wants to hear via an app, it closes the gap of the remaining 20 percent. The hearing instruments scan the environment for speech and noise at the rate of 55 adjustments every hour. During the pandemic, Starkey hearing instruments helped patients hear someone who was wearing a mask. Telehealth is BornIn the early ‘90s Mayo Clinic in Minnesota set up a secure teleconferencing system that allowed clinicians to speak to colleagues at their institutions in Florida and Arizona. During the pandemic, when audiologists were considered non-essential and were shuttered, many used telehealth to help their patients. Minor adjustments to hearing aids make up a third of patients in audiology practices. Telehealth appointments can take care of these. Patients on vacations or patients who don’t go out in bad weather can always use telehealth. Family members and caretakers can be present during a telehealth visit. During the pandemic patients with profound hearing loss, who rely on lip reading, could talk to their audiologists via the computer and be able to see the providers’ lips. Dr. Fabry encourages all clinicians to use telehealth when it’s appro 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, Au.D., CCC-A, who treat patients at Audiology Services in Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA. On this episode, Blaise Delfino talks with Dr. Sarah Burdak, Chief Audiology Officer at Starkey Hearing.A Quarter Century of CareDr. Burdak has been an audiologist for more than 25 years. She had chronic ear infections as a child and eventually had hearing loss in her left ear. That’s what led her to the field. She loves the combination of science and patient care. She says no two patients and no two hearing losses are the same. Turning Ideas into Products Dr. Burdak works primarily in research and development. She gets input from patients on what they need and translates that into meaningful products that serve real problems that people with hearing loss are experiencing. She particularly likes working with veterans. The most common service-related health problems of veterans are tinnitus followed by hearing loss. “Starkey is changing the dynamics of hearing technology by making devices that people actually want to wear.Educating the PublicMost people wait for seven to ten years before seeking help for a hearing loss. The stigma associated with wearing hearing aids is a large part of the problem. They are no longer the large, ugly devices that no one wants to wear. Starkey focuses on getting the message out that hearing aids are now small with state-of-the-art technology. The company has the newest videos on the internet and works with other media outlets to let people know all the advantages of the latest hearing technology. The Benefit of TelehealthDr. Burdak says COVID-19 taught hearing healthcare providers that telehealth is no longer a convenience, but a necessary part of the practice of audiology. She says research has shown that one in three people experiencing hearing loss would have addressed it sooner if telehealth had been available. It is also important for elderly people, those who may not have transportation and for caregivers who have jobs in addition to caring for loved ones. She stresses however that initial appointments must be done in person.Helping VetsDr. Burdak says veterans need state-of-the-art technology with all the accessories possible. Besides tinnitus and hearing loss, many vets suffer from other maladies including PTSD. They have a greater incidence of cognitive and memory impairments, chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and vision problems. It is important the veterans and their families learn about all of the technology available to them. OTC vs. Audiology-issued Hearing Aids Dr. Burdak says it’s imperative that people with hearing loss do not buy over-the-counter hearing instruments but see a hearing healthcare provider. Hearing aids are a medical device that need to be fitted by a professional. Hearing loss can be caused by medical conditions that could result in total hearing loss if not addressed. OTC hearing aids may have unintended consequences that can make a person’s hearing worse.  Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast TeamEmail: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

About This Episode Dr. Georgiou believes that patients should take an active role in their own healthcare, not only when they have an acute or chronic illness or when they’re dying, but at all times. When patients are fully engaged, she says their outcomes are better. She believes that is true with hearing healthcare as well. The ear is a vascular organ, which means it requires a blood supply. Factors that affect your other vascular organs, like your heart, kidneys, and brain can also affect your ears. There is an overlap between these organs. If you have diabetes, for example, a high blood sugar can be toxic to your ears. We know that untreated hearing loss is also linked to cognition issues, a higher risk of falling and numerous other chronic illnesses.   Primary Care Physicians have a Role Most primary care physicians do not refer their patients to an audiologist for a regular hearing exam. One of the most important reasons they don’t is that they generally don't have the expertise to understand the nuances of hearing loss. They certainly don't have the equipment or the expertise to diagnose it, and they don't have the expertise to treat it. We live in a world of specialty care. When primary care physicians recognize that someone has difficulty hearing, they should refer that person to an audiologist. Primary care physicians do not need feel that they need to diagnose or treat it. But they should be asking, “Are you having difficulty hearing?” And if the answer is yes, and it will be in the majority of people 70 and older, that individual should be immediately given a referral to a hearing specialist. Informing the Primary Care Physicians  Audiologists should continue to educate PCPs on the interfaces between hearing and overall health. They need to understand that a patient who has hearing impairment, even a mild hearing loss, makes that physician’s life more difficult. Office visit will be longer, they’ll need to repeat what they say, and the patient may not understand the treatment plan. Many studies show that even people with mild hearing loss can't hear if an individual’s voice is directed away from the patient. They may call back for more questions about refills, how to take their medications, etc. Appealing to the selfish side of physicians who want their practices to run more efficiently by telling them what's in it for them. Listening to the Patient  How important is it for hearing healthcare providers to truly listen to their patients and understand what their needs are? It's important to listen because you will be more successful as a professional. You can tailor your treatment plan to what's most important to that individual. Unless a care plan meets their needs and their lifestyle, and unless they go home owning the device, the experience, and the accountability of using a device, they're not going to use it. Listening is the pathway to good outcomes. Looking to the Future  Dr. Georgiou would like to make hearing healthcare an integral part of overall health care. That means making sure the traditional medical industry, the primary care physicians and others in that world, recognize how important hearing is to a patient's overall health. Equally important is that audiologists and hearing professionals recognize that they have to be a part of the overall health care system. After gaining an individual’s trust, change his/her life by diagnosing hearing loss, fitting him/her with a device, use that moment of trust to address other issues that are important 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 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.In this episode, Blaise discusses over-the-counter hearing aids and Medicare benefits for hearing instruments with Michael Scholl, chief compliance officer and vice president of corporate relations at Starkey. The Beginning Talk of OTC hearing aids started back in 2016-2017 when President Trump signed the FDA Reauthorization Act. The FDA was to create an OTC category by August of 2020. In October,2021 the FDA finally released the draft of OTC hearing aid regulations that is available for public comment over the next 90 days. The public comment period concludes on January 18, of 2022. The FDA will take all of those public comments into account, and then promulgate a final rule. By summer of 2022, we will see a final OTC regulation, and it will go into effect 60 days after they finalize that rule.More Harm than Good?There are a few safety concerns about the OTC aids. The auditory industry, consumer groups and audiologists are asking for the aids to have a maximum output of 110 dB and a maximum gain of 25 dB. In the proposed regulation, the max output could get to 120 dB. The difference between 110 and 120 is significant and could cause damage to someone’s hearing. Also, consumers need to clearly understand who and where there is enforcement over the hearing aids. Only those over 18 should be able to purchase these hearing aids.Medicare Coverage As Congress looks to pass the Build Back Better law, there are two things the hearing healthcare industry has to focus on. The first is to get Congress to get the bill in the best possible shape before it goes to a vote. Once it is passed, it goes to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will write part of the language of the law. There are a few items that are really important. First, a hearing aid is a prosthetic, not durable medical equipment. A hearing aid is not a cane, it's not a walker, it's not a one-time product. it's a medical device that is continually fine-tuned.  Number two is that the hearing aids are exempt from competitive bidding. And third is that an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist can provide the help to Medicare recipient.Listen CarefullyThis fall, Starkey launched Listen Carefully. People can find out what's happening with Medicare coverage and OTC hearing instruments in Washington. The public comment period is happening now. People can write comments, and there are draft comments people can use and add their own thoughts. Starkey works very hard to educate legislators at the state and federal level. Michael encourages all audiology practices to get involved at the local level as well. Hearing healthcare is a non-partisan issue. Everyone everywhere wants people to understand that untreated hearing loss dramatically affects overall health.A New EraMichael says he believes one day soon that the hearing healthcare industry will no longer be on the defensive. He believes there will be more access to hearing healthcare and people 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 father and son, Blaise Delfino, M.S. – HIS, and Dr. Gregory Delfino, Au.D., CCC-A, who treat patients 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