Dr. Hosford-Dunn began blogging in her audiology private practice in Tucson, AZ. Back in 2009, blogging was a new and interesting way to quickly share and improve information with colleagues, consumers, and patients. As blogging gained attention, she had the opportunity to serve as chief editor of a multi-author blog for an hearing industry publication. The format was fun and successful. It rapidly evolved into Hearing Health & Technology Matters! (HHTM), an independent blogsite that she founded in partnership with other colleagues in 2011. Since its inception, Dr. Hosford-Dunn has served as HHTM’s first Editor-in-Chief, then Managing Editor, and now is CFO of the organization. After graduating with a BA and MA in Communication Disorders from New Mexico State, she completed a PhD in Hearing Sciences at Stanford and did post-docs at Max Planck Institute (Germany) and Eaton-Peabody Auditory Physiology Lab (Boston). Post-education, she directed the Stanford University Audiology Clinic; developed multi-office private practices in Arizona; authored/edited numerous text books, chapters, journals, and articles; and taught Marketing, Practice Management, Hearing Science, Auditory Electrophysiology, and Amplification in a variety of academic settings. Dr. Hosford-Dunn participates in life long learning by writing weekly posts and by embracing sequential learning endeavors. She spent a year training with the Gemological Institute of America, gaining certification as a Graduate Gemologist (GIA). She graduated with a B.A. in Economics and Psychology from the University of Arizona in 2013. Currently — and probably forever — she studies the Spanish language.
Featured image for “Living in the Gray Area between Art and Science: Overcoming the Effects of the Whipsaw”
Aug. 23, 2016

Living in the Gray Area between Art and Science: Overcoming the Effects of the Whipsaw

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“Signal & Noise” is a bimonthly column by Brian Taylor, AuD. Most everyone is interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, a big part of which is paying close attention to diet and exercise.  Some, armed with formal academic training, quickly take note of the latest research in these areas.  Social media, cable news and the internet make this information readily
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Aug. 16, 2016

An Imperfectly Designed System for the Times

Holly Hosford-Dunn
by Harvey Abrams, PhD.   “Peeling the Onion” is a monthly column by Harvey Abrams, PhD.   If your time to you Is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone (Bob Dylan)   In a recent post  (in response to the PCAST report and pending FDA decision on creating a new classification of OTC hearing
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Aug. 09, 2016

“I HAVE A DREAM”, REVISITED

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Downstream Consequences of Aging is a bi-monthly series written by guest columnist Barbara Weinstein, PhD.  Today she dreams about Hearables and unbundling as a way to recover our calling as a rehab profession with our patients at the forefront.    In her piece in the New York Times titled, No Hearing Aid? Some Gizmos Offer Alternative to ‘Speak Up, ’ Paula
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Aug. 02, 2016

Where’d Those Numbers Come From? Data for the 2016 Pricing Series

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“I think it’s inevitable that the upward trend line will start to normalize and get flatter. The current market forces in play are going to begin dropping that trend line closer to CPI…albeit not nearly as much as the average consumer would like it to be…” (Comment from Anonymous on the 2013 Price series) Inevitable is a strong word, but
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Jul. 26, 2016

Price Functions in the US Wholesale Hearing Aid Market, part 2

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Real Price at retail isn’t rising in general and is actually falling for Premium products.  Something similar but even more dramatic is happening on the wholesale level. So concluded last week’s post and is the jumping off place today.   Average Wholesale Price Functions   Average wholesale Price of hearing aids increased faster than inflation1 for the last decade ($18/year,
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Jul. 19, 2016

Price Functions in the US Wholesale Hearing Aid Market

Holly Hosford-Dunn
This series now steps into the dark and murky realm of manufacturers’ wholesale pricing of product to see how the market has changed since 2013.  The caveats remain the same:   Big assumptions:  Categorical lines separating Economy, Premium, and everything in between are arbitrary to some extent, reflecting the varying family of products, product-specific technology levels, and price points adopted by
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Jul. 12, 2016

US Hearing Device Patents May-June 2016

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“Space is a scarce resource in a hearing aid.” That simple but powerful observation heralds the purpose of Oticon’s US patent #9338569 (Portable Electronic Device Comprising a Folded Substrate), shown in the title image. That purpose is to cram as much amplification technology as possible into the smallest space. Oticon’s next patented step is to use the folded substrate in a
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Jul. 05, 2016

Waiting for the Third Shoe (of Three) to Drop

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“Peeling the Onion” is a monthly column by Harvey Abrams, PhD.   My last post, “Waiting for the Second Shoe (of three) to Drop”, was written just before the most recent IoM report was published. Now that it has, we are waiting for the last of the Hearing Health Industry Trilogy of Reports to appear; i.e., FDA’s response/recommendations/changes in policy, based on
Featured image for “Price Functions in the US Retail Hearing Aid Market, Part 2”
Jun. 28, 2016

Price Functions in the US Retail Hearing Aid Market, Part 2

Holly Hosford-Dunn
by Holly Hosford-Dunn, PhD & Amyn Amlani, PhD   Average Sale Price of hearing aids in the US retail market (ASP) grew at the rate of inflation from 2004-2011, peaked in price in 2012 and declined each year thereafter. At no time has ASP ever hit $6K/set, no matter how many times that anchor price gets bandied around. These are the
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Jun. 21, 2016

NAS Issues Recommendations: An Entire Industry Changes……… Think Again

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“Signal & Noise” is a bimonthly column by Brian Taylor, AuD. A few weeks ago the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) issued their report on the status of hearing health care for adults and their 12 recommendations for improving it. This report was billed as landmark, groundbreaking and a major milestone, and, if it is received by key stakeholders like