How to Keep Your Cochlear Implant Working Safely
by Roy Rasmussen Use of cochlear implants is on the rise. By the end of 2010, approximately 219,000 people worldwide had received a cochlear implant, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Approximately 40 percent of children born profoundly deaf were receiving implants by the end of 2014, a rise of 25 percent…
Read More
Locked Hearing Aid Software — Additional Comments
by Mike Metz A short time ago, I wrote a post regarding lack of access to the software of some hearing aids. My comments arose from conversations with other dispensing audiologists. They saw patients that were having problems with hearing aids purchased from large distributors — Big Box stores primarily. Evidently, patients believed that they were…
Read More
MR. COSTCO, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!
by Mike Metz, PhD Consider the success of the “Big Box” sales of hearing aids. Costco alone has become the second largest dispensing entity of hearing instruments in the US, and just lowered the cost of their premium Kirkland 7.0 instruments. What do you suppose is their return-for-credit rate? No matter which of the…
Read More
How Hearing Aid Technology Has Evolved in Society, and Why — Part XI
Editor’s Note: Today’s post continues the discussion by Abigail Farmer and Bruno Sarda on the evolution of hearing aid technology. Implications and Policy Recommendations The hearing aid market as we know it is ripe for disruption. On one hand, hearing aids are expensive. They rely on proprietary technology that does not necessarily “play…
Read More
Three Ways to Compel Consumption Shifts in the Hearing Device Market, part 5
The Hearing Disruptions series seeks to cover the rapid changes taking place in hearing healthcare. Today’s post is the final portion on one presentation culled from recent topics presented to the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Committee on Accessible and Affordable Hearing Health Care for Adults. Informing to Compel Consumption Choices Holly Hosford-Dunn, Ph.D. Presented…
Read More
If Hearing Aids Are Not Enough, FM Systems May Be the Solution
Sometimes patients come into our office unable to hear or to communicate effectively. What’s more, they are scared. As their hearing has deteriorated over the years, they and their loved ones fear that they are going completely deaf. These patients and family members come to us hoping and praying that we can help them. Working…
Read More