HS204 - Future Forecast - Industry and Audiologists: Working Together to Reduce the Level of Untreated Hearing Loss

Thursday, April 20, 2023

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PDT

Location: HearTECH Hub

Earn 0.1 CEUs

Moderator(s)

Lachelle Lazarus, AuD

Clinical Audiologist
University of Maryland Medical Center
Baltimore, Maryland

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant non-financial relationships with anything to disclose.

Presenter(s)

Mikkel Knudsen

President, ReSound US Commercial
ReSound US Commercial

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant non-financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Gary Rosenblum, MBA (he/him/his)

President, Oticon, Inc
Oticon Inc
Somerset, New Jersey

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: Receive salary from Oticon Inc.
Jason Mayer

VP
Phonak

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant non-financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Mike O'Neil

President
Signia USA

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant non-financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Kyle Acker, AuD

Vice President of U.S. Commercial Sales
Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Minnesota

I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
SN

Soren Nielsen

President, Widex USA, Inc.
Widex
Hauppauge, New York

Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant financial relationships with anything to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures: I do not have any relevant non-financial relationships with anything to disclose.

In the United States, approximately 29 million out of 38 million adults have under or untreated hearing loss with this level remaining relatively constant in recent years. Recently, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids came onto the market as a strategy to promote access; however, it is unknown to what extent the introduction of OTCs will reduce the number of adults having untreated hearing loss.

The Academy has advocated for a comprehensive solution that includes various approaches, such as building the scientific evidence for the benefits of hearing screening, expanding Medicare coverage for services provided by audiologists, and recognizing audiologists to practice at the top of their licenses.

During our Future Forecast session, leaders from the hearing aid industry will offer their perspectives on the challenges in reducing the number of adults with untreated hearing loss and discuss the pros and cons of current initiatives. The panel will examine the interdependent relationship between manufacturers and audiologists and the opportunity to advance a common goal of demonstrating the benefits of hearing screening. The panel will also address the technological innovations that will lead to improved hearing health care.

Learning Objectives:

Clarify how the audiology profession and hearing aid manufacturers can partner to advance innovations in technology and best practices in care delivery.
Describe how Medicare coverage of hearing aids and the introduction of OTC devices may impact patients, audiologists, and manufacturers.
Discuss how audiologists and manufactures can work together to educate policymakers, clinicians, and consumers on hearing loss treatments and the connection between hearing loss and other comorbidities.