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.
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Feb. 26, 2013

Hearing Aid Prices — Going Up? Going Down?

Holly Hosford-Dunn
The average Price of hearing aids began rising faster than inflation in 1994 when the first truly differentiated product entered the market.  In contrast, Price  kept pace with inflation for traditional instruments, which tumbled into a new niche of “low end” products (see title figure). What does this mean? More Economic Stuff (what you’ve been craving)   Traditional hearing aids
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Feb. 19, 2013

Hearing Aid Prices: Peeking in the Closet

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Hearing Aid Price is still in the closet, but it’s being outed by professional and public outcry by squeezed Audiologists and consumers.{{1}}[[1]]I don’t know if hearing aid dispensers are feeling squeezed too, but probably.[[1]] If those two groups are outside picketing, who’s in the closet?  Current conventional wisdom points to Machiavellian Manufacturing Monopolists.  Before we jump on that bandwagon, let’s
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Feb. 12, 2013

Are Hearing Aids Getting Pricier?

Holly Hosford-Dunn
“The hearing aid industry uses every new thing, like digital or a new algorithm, to raise prices.”  CEO of a manufacturer of low-cost, app-smart hearing aids. Really?  Is the hearing aid industry conniving and villainous to consumers?  Do hearing aids really cost $6000/pair? If so, why has that rule of thumb stayed constant for a decade?  Shouldn’t those $6K hearing
Feb. 05, 2013

Hearing Economics Hits the Century Mark and Contemplates the Meaning of Life

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Hearing Economics has clawed its way to the 100-post peak today, a dubious achievement signifying either celebration or an urgent need to jump off and get a life.  A third option is to figure out the meaning of life by writing yet another post.  The following are weird, funny, disconcerting, or just plain embarrassing items that have been tucked away
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Jan. 29, 2013

Influenza and Audiologists: Mitigating Harm to Life and Wallet

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Today wraps up a 3-part series on flu vaccination by looking at  private versus public sector efforts to vaccinate and protect, being mindful that we need to protect not only ourselves and our patients, but our professional livelihoods as well.  It’s a perfect blend of Economics and Ethics and, I’d like to point out, Marketing.  If it were me,  I’d put a big
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Jan. 21, 2013

Influenza and Audiologists: In Harm’s Way

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Last week’s post ended in high dudgeon at the prospect of hearing professionals violating the Harm Principle by foregoing flu shots.  In the meantime, the flu marches on:  For the second week in a row,  flu deaths exceeded the epidemic threshold; 49.6% of hospital flu admissions were in those 65 and over, 48 states reported the highest category of flu activity
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Jan. 15, 2013

Influenza and Audiologists: Ethics and Economics Finally Agree on Something

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Anyone who picked up a newspaper or turned on the news on January 10th knows that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking an “overwhelming” influenza outbreak across the US that is thought to grow more vicious before it abates.{{1}}[[1]]At the same time, the CDC has reported the largest outbreak of pertussis in the US in 60 years
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Jan. 08, 2013

Biotechnology Patents for Hearing and Hearing Devices

Holly Hosford-Dunn
As promised, here’s an update of interesting hearing technology patents — the list is long but it only encompasses the last two months of 2012.  I think you’ll agree, it looks like a Christmas wish list — hearing aids that tell you how your body’s doing, that find themselves, that test your hearing, that do real-ear; nanotechnology penetrating the tympanic
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Jan. 01, 2013

Hearing Technology Patent Fights

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Last year’s top Hearing Economics post  listed some US patents granted in the hearing industry. The list may have stimulated readership, so another cherry-picked list of recent patents will show up in next week’s post and will be updated every few months.  In the meantime, today’s post looks at the exciting afterlife of patents in biotechnology.  Patent Wars   Not
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Jun. 26, 2012

Stayin’ Alive: Drink More Champagne, Avoid Icebergs, Check the Crystal Ball

Holly Hosford-Dunn
Q:  What were the last words of the Nobel Laureate economist, John Maynard Keynes? A:  “I should have drunk more Champagne.” Right! The next best thing to Champagne is writing these posts and getting readers’ comments.  Here’s a great one from a 1st generation private practice owner and worried mother. Q: Do you think private practice can survive in this