Hearing Economics

US Patent #9544700 by inventors Sunil Puria and Rodney Perkins, was awarded to EarLens Corp. on January 10, 2017.  Coming in at 22 pages and 12 illustrations (c.f., feature image),  “Optically Coupled Active Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis,” is what they call a total package.  Here’s a sample of its contents: A concise anatomy course.   The patent starts with a fast-paced primer

by Barry A. Freeman, Ph.D. and Ian Windmill, Ph.D. In the January/February AAA President’s Message, Dr. Ian Windmill discusses the recent FDA, NAS, and legislative activities surrounding affordability and accessibility to hearing care.  He notes that Audiology “suffers from an access issue. There simply are not enough audiologists…to meet current demand” and we shouldn’t be surprised by these federal activities.    Anticipated

by Harvey Abrams, PhD. “Peeling the Onion” is a monthly column by Harvey Abrams, PhD. As we all know by now, the third shoe (or was it a boot) dropped with a loud thud heard ’round the industry. The FDA appears to be investigating the feasibility of creating a new category of basic hearing aids that adults can purchase as an

  Samsung phone and washer technologies exploded in 2016, but and not in a good way.  Thankfully, those technologies didn’t show up in hearing aids because Samsung has yet to enter the FDA-approved US hearing aid market, despite strong expectations that it would do so in 2016. That hasn’t stopped Samsung from its end run march to redefine hearing device

The number of hearing device patents granted annually to the Big 6 manufacturers tripled in the last decade (see feature image above), peaking in 2012 and leveling off since then, by Hearing Economic’s estimation.1   The 2012 peak is mainly due to a flurry of patents awarded to Siemens (now Sivantos) that year.   online pharmacy purchase neurontin without prescription

Last week’s post described a world of audiology in which median wage has increased by $2100/year on average for the last 15 years, yet the audiology workforce has remained flat.  This scenario, shown in the feature image above, is alarming.  Moreover, it is unusual.  Other healthcare professions don’t roll like this.  Today’s post looks at labor forces of audiology and

At the turn of the century, the American Academy of Audiology launched its “Ask an Audiologist” branding campaign. The marketing goals were to familiarize the US public with the profession of audiology and make it a household term, figuratively ensconced in the medicine cabinet next to the box of Band-Aids®.  Just as consumers reach for Band-Aids® to fix “owies”, they

by Brian Taylor “Signal & Noise” is a bimonthly column by Brian Taylor, AuD. Recent FDA regulatory chatter concerning hearing aids,  combined with the rising availability of automated technology is making audiologists nervous – – and rightly so. It certainly seems plausible we are embarking on an era when the skills and expertise of the professional are no longer needed

Wouldn’t you know it? Harvey Abram’s Waiting for the Second Shoe (of Three) to Drop from last summer was one of the most-read posts in Hearing Economics in 2016.  Click on the link to read it, now that the FDA has dropped that 3rd shoe.  As a refresher, Dr Abram’s “2nd Shoe” post laid out the territory back then as follows: Apotheke

by Barbara Weinstein Downstream Consequences of Aging is a bi-monthly series written by guest columnist Barbara Weinstein, PhD.  Today’s post gives readers a sense of the simultaneous breathless drama and grinding diligence experienced by all participating stakeholders at last week’s pivotal NAS meeting.   The Plenary: Sounds of Silence   At the Dec. 7, 2016 Dissemination Meeting: Hearing Health Care for