LM312 - Reversing the Apathy of Hearing Loss by Putting Over-the-Counter Devices to Work in Your Practice

Abstract:
There is a large of pool of adults with mild hearing loss who would benefit from early intervention, but for various reasons, including apathy, they have resisted hearing aid acquisition. Over-the-counter hearing aids should be viewed as a tool that promotes earlier intervention while creating a new revenue stream for practices, without cannibalize existing business. The learning module proposes a three-part strategy that audiologists can implement that achieves these goals, including demographic insights on viable candidates for OTC devices, unbundled service models and clinical triaging processes that identify OTC candidates who are unlikely to acquire prescription hearing aids.

Summary:
There are several important reasons to champion the arrival of over-the-counter hearing aids. One, they provide an option for the 90%-plus of patients with mild hearing loss who do not currently own hearing aids – many who are unlikely to make an appointment to see an audiologist but nevertheless struggle communicating in challenging social and workplace situations. Two, research from the past decade clearly indicates that even mild untreated hearing loss is associated with several other serious medical conditions, and as mild hearing loss gradually declines, it tends to make people more disconnected from others as well as less socially active and less mentally sharp. Three, the ability to purchase hearing aids over the counter has the potential to mitigate these effects because, as early data show, it lowers the age of first-time amplification use by about 15 years. Simply stated, more people wearing regulated hearing aids, regardless of how they purchased them, is good for society and good for the profession.

This learning module proposes a plan, using case study data, for how OTC devices can be offered in a clinical practice as a way to help more patients and grow revenue without cannibalizing existing business. This OTC implementation plans rests on the following four fundamental principles, all covered in this module.

1. The type of questions patients are likely to ask about OTC and how to effectively address these questions.
2. The creation of educational materials that compare pay-as-you-go OTC to traditional good-better-best service/device packages.
3. Conducting a time vs. cost analysis of your practice. This serves as the foundation of how much to charge for services and for the types of services provided to patients who may have acquired OTC devices elsewhere.
4. Developing a patient profile of individuals who are more likely to require prescription hearing aids instead of OTC devices, and how this profile can be used during an in-person appointment when patients are wondering if they can save some money by purchasing OTC devices.

This module will demonstrate how careful planning and execution involving these four principles can reduce patient apathy and effectively integrate OTC into an existing practice.