Brian Taylor

Brian Taylor, AuD, is the Senior Director of Audiology for Signia. He is a veteran of the hearing industry with more than 25 years of experience. Brian is a prolific and respected contributor to the industry with more than 25 publications and numerous speaking engagements both domestically and internationally. He is also the editor of Audiology Practices, a quarterly journal of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, Editor-at-Large for Hearing Health and Technology Matters and adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin.

Featured image for “A Report from the 2016 Consumer Electronic Show”

A Report from the 2016 Consumer Electronic Show

Editor’s Note: As healthcare technology and consumer electronics devices continue to morph into new and exciting product categories, hearing care professionals are taking a more active role in their application. One of the most well-respected audiologists in the profession, Barry Freeman, attended last week’s CES in Las Vegas and submitted this eye-opening report for the Hearing News Watch: By

Featured image for “FDA Will Convene April Hearing Aid Meeting”

FDA Will Convene April Hearing Aid Meeting

SILVER SPRINGS, MARYLAND — In a January 6th press release the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it will host a public workshop, “Streamlining Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Hearing Aids,” on April 21, 2016, at the FDA’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The workshop will outline the agency’s perspective on the current GMPs that are required under the

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IT’S OVER: IHS and ADA Call off 2016 and 2017 Unison Summit

The International Hearing Society (IHS) and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) issued a joint statement to their respective members today, announcing the cancellation of the 2016 and 2017 Unison events. Readers may recall last March the two organizations stated they would be combining resources and offering a joint educational event in 2016 and 2017. The inaugural event to be

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Starkey Foundation Target of Whistleblower Suit

EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA — In a story first reported by Law 360, a former employee of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, Maria Vanessa Boys Smith, sued the company in California state court on December 18, claiming that she was fired after reporting the foundation inflated the number of devices it donated.{{1}}[[1]]The case is Maria Vanessa Boys Smith v. Starkey Laboratories Inc. et

Featured image for “Amid “Profound Disruption”, Private Hearing Aid Market up 9%”

Amid “Profound Disruption”, Private Hearing Aid Market up 9%

Two recent articles in the mainstream press reflect the views of public health officials with respect to a pair of hot button issues: the hearing aid industry and the aging American population. In a October 31 Forbes article, Jason Karlawish, MD, a physician, author, and co-director of the Penn Memory Center and the Healthy Brain Research Center, built a credible

Featured image for “JAMA Report Outlines New Approaches to Mitigating Cognitive Decline: Will Audiology Play a Role?”

JAMA Report Outlines New Approaches to Mitigating Cognitive Decline: Will Audiology Play a Role?

According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 10,000 Baby-boomers will turn 65 today, and about 10,000 more will cross that threshold every day for the next 15 years.With this aging population comes the increased risk of Alzheimer’s as well as other forms of cognitive decline. The prevalence of dementia is expected to double every 20 years because of the aging

Featured image for “Sivantos Experiences Double-digit Growth”

Sivantos Experiences Double-digit Growth

Sivantos reported their 2015 financial numbers for fiscal year (FY) 2015 earlier this week and the report highlights 10% organic growth for FY 2015 that ended September 30th. According to a recent European analysist report for the hearing aid industry Sivantos and ReSound have been the fastest growing manufacturers in the hearing aid industry for the past year. This is

Featured image for “Why Did Dr. Cassel Change Her Mind About Consumer-Driven Healthcare?”

Why Did Dr. Cassel Change Her Mind About Consumer-Driven Healthcare?

By now everyone in the hearing healthcare industry is familiar with the facts, but they bear some repeating: There are millions of Americans with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss, and a mere 15 to 30% of this group use hearing aids, which are expensive, rife with stigma, and rarely covered by insurance. The consequences of untreated age-related hearing aids are

Featured image for “Starkey May Be Preparing for Auction Block: Local Report”

Starkey May Be Preparing for Auction Block: Local Report

A November 21st Minneapolis Star Tribune report indicated that Starkey Hearing Technologies may be a target for acquisition. According to the report, mass executive firings and subsequent turmoil have raised eyebrows within the industry and left Starkey Hearing Technologies in a vulnerable position. The speculation of a sale was first reported by Wayne Staab at HHTM on October 11. Industry analysts

Featured image for “The Impact of Hearing Loss on Health and Wellness is Topic of PBS Video”

The Impact of Hearing Loss on Health and Wellness is Topic of PBS Video

Hearing loss in adults is more than a minor inconvenience; it is a public health concern with several far reaching effects that often can be successfully treated. That was the main message in a recent public television broadcast produced by Twin Cities Public TV in collaboration with the Minnesota Commission for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans. Minnesota Public