Hearing Economics

Listen to The Hand   Today’s feature image comes from Finewell Co Ltd’s patent #10795321 for a Wrist watch with hearing function.  Inquiring minds may wonder how this works and it’s not as simple as a talking watch. Instead, the patent aims to provide more effective wrist watches with hearing functions that achieve cartilage conduction via vibration of a hand

Earlier this fall, readers were provided a commentary on wholesale nominal pricing in the US market. In our continuation of pricing in the US hearing aid market, we compare unadjusted and inflation-adjusted, wholesale cost of a single unit device over time.    Consumer Price Index (CPI)   The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was used to assess historical changes in US

The Mind Boggles   Here are a few questions as food for thought while contemplating how the myriad computations, calculations, decompositions, re-creations and retrieval- from- storage audio outputs can be massaged to complement, supplement and creatively enhance our individual hearing capabilities and preferences.    Q1. Which do you prefer, Reality or an Upgrade? Both require binaural processing, by whatever name

Hearing Healthcare Market Development Column   The question as to whether the telehealth model provides the same quality of care as the traditional face-to-face model in hearing healthcare is topical given that the coronavirus pandemic has entered a third wave. Auditory Insight’s analysis shows that the model created by the telehealth hearing aid company, Listen Lively (Lively), is closing the

by Kate Baldocchi, AuD, Trisha Milnes, AuD, & Amyn M. Amlani, PhD In 2019, the reader was introduced to a conceptual overview of the design thinking process and how it could be utilized as a tool in serving the needs of listeners with hearing loss. Design thinking engagement and interactions are comprised of a non-linear, 5-stage process that includes the

Who Needs a Watch?   Not Sanmina Corporation in San Jose, California. Fitness and health-minded individuals who don’t care to wear or look at a watch are likely to appreciate Sanmina’s patent #10744262. The patent describes an ear piece system with biosensors to detect and monitor a wearer’s heart rate and oxygen saturation levels. The system generates an alert and

Hearing Healthcare Market Development Column   In July, Lexie Hearing launched a direct-to-consumer (D2C) hearing aid with a model of care that includes a digitized onboarding process, in-situ hearing test, and rewards program. These three innovations anticipate over-the-counter (OTC) deregulation, while also embodying healthcare best practices in patient adherence.  Lexie Hearing’s current product line consists of one model, the Lexie

Editor’s Note: The last time Hearing Economics discussed hearing aid pricing was 2016, when then Section Editor, Holly Hosford-Dunn, provided readers with a comprehensive assessment of the market in a seven-part series. Starting with today’s blog on wholesale pricing (in a nominal sense), the aim is to build on Holly’s earlier work and share current trends in a multi-part series

Hearing Healthcare Market Development Column   During the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Sonova USA introduced to hearing care professionals (HCPs) a fully digital service delivery model for its Phonak brand. Patient use of the online hearing test, the gateway to care, skyrocketed during this period. However, very few HCPs implemented the fully digital model in their practices. Phonak’s

It’s As If  You Had Your Own Personal … Fill in the blank for whatever, whenever and however you wish to personalize sound in your ears. Nura Holdings’ aptly-named patent 10708680 (Personalization of auditory stimulus) envisions user(s) perceiv(ing) the audio signal as if the user had ideal hearing and/or desired hearing.  No longer does the concept of desired hearing limit