Hearing Economics

Are you willing to bet that many audiologists focus on selling as many high-cost premium hearing aids as possible in order to make a living?  Ethics aside, it sounds logical that you’ll make more money if you sell more expensive stuff, whether it’s diamonds or hearing aids.  Maybe so for top-quality gemstones, but don’t take the bet for hearing aids.

Our profession was treated last week to a timely and balanced discussion of unbundling by Robyn Cox PhD.  She is one of audiology’s most reasoned thinkers, test creator extraordinaire, talented researcher, and a nice person to boot.   Dr. Cox addressed concerns being raised in policy-making circles that traditional hearing aid dispensing models are pricing many consumers out of the market.

March Phonak-Costco Madness ushered in urgency to the health of hearing healthcare providers.  March Mayhem was foreshadowed for 3 years in Hearing Economics posts, starting with resurrection of 1990s prognostications of professional schizophrenia and bimodalism stemming from creative destruction online pharmacy buy spiriva online no prescription . And lo, it came to pass as disruptive technologies and economics came among us and we were

  Ryan Kalef, Guest Editor, brings back Mr. Ideal for a second week of bliss.  Several weeks ago he introduced us to this gentleman — the perfect Audiology patient and wearer of hearing aids.   Last time we saw Mr. Ideal, he sailed through the traditional system of assessment and fitting approach, requiring only  3 hours and 5 minutes of professional time spread

“Time out. Our  … conversation … has to be based in fact. It can’t be based in fantasy or wishing…”  Dawn M. Zier, Nutrisystem CEO When major news bureaus start running articles entitled “Why Do Hearing Aids Cost More than Laptops?” you know it’s time for a change up in how Audiologists are positioning themselves, especially considering the burgeoning increase

Hearing Economics  welcomes back Ryan Kalef as Guest Editor for the next few weeks.  His previous posts have given readers the Canadian perspective with An Earful From Canada, Call of the Wild, and Different Views on Selling.  Today he jumps in the bare-knuckled Price ring, joining the Pricing Series to the effort started last week by Terry Ross to find rational and professional means

Inquiring minds want to know about the imminent Phonak-Costco partnership. HHTM readership soared last week after David Kirkwood  reported corporate confirmation of the deal and Hearing Economics began sorting the deal’s rumors from reality. Elsewhere, web-based professional and social media rapidly filled with Audiologists’ tears of betrayal, stories of heartbreak, fear and growing outrage. Readers will want to look at Kevin Liebe’s

Two long-rumored events became reality in the last week or so, both of which will likely have long-term effects on the practice of dispensing Audiology.  Both have already elicited large short-term effects in the chatter level and hand wringing departments of our profession. Phonak Rumors and Realities   The Rumor Mill Hearing Economics got an email tip last December to

Polymer materials were the standouts in today’s round of patents.  Audiologists’ training is short on polymers so we may not fully appreciate their importance:  Patent #8628831 praises polymers for their special properties such as “positional selective metallization” which can be applied to hearing aid components where “it may be desirable to combine electrical and mechanical functions in a single component,

Hearing Economics is forever asking Why–usually more than 5 times– especially when it comes to the Why of hearing aid prices.  The Pricing series has asked the Whys of manufacturing costs, retail Price, and wholesale pricing for different dispensing models. The Why of “markup”  shows that net profit–the true markup–is well below $100/hearing aid. That prompts a host of “Why