Customized RIC Coupling: Don’t Roll the Dice, Follow the Sage Guidance of Margo Skinner
By Brian Taylor, AuD, Editor-at-Large In Chapter 9 of the Studebacher and Hochberg textbook Acoustical Factors Affecting Hearing Aid Performance (second edition), esteemed professor, Margo Skinner1, wrote, “Before any hearing aid evaluation, it is essential to optimize the coupling of a hearing aid to the ear.” Published in 1993 during the seminal days of prescriptive…
Read MoreTo Boost Outcomes for Hearing Aid Wearers, the Profession Should Commit to Telehealth Services
By Brian Taylor, AuD, Editor-at-Large It should concern every hearing care professional (HCP) that anywhere from 5 percent to one-quarter of patients never use their hearing aids. Or that by some accounts, an astounding 98 percent of hearing aid owners say they had at least one problem with their hearing aids in the first year.…
Read MoreEvidence Over Orthodoxy, Part 3: Where Do We Go From Here?
Editor’s Note: Terry MacTaggart offers his concluding remarks on how we can better serve people coping with hearing loss and communication challenges during one of the most uncertain moments in our lifetimes. Click here to view Part 1 and Part 2. What does this wish list for consumers imply for the industry? Strengthening…
Read MoreEvidence Over Orthodoxy, Part 2: Why are so Many People Left Out?
Editor’s Note: Terry MacTaggart continues his discussion on how we can better serve our customers – persons coping with hearing loss and communication challenges during one of the most uncertain moments in our lifetimes. Click here to view Part 1. Why are so many people left out? There are several well-known reasons –…
Read MoreEvidence Over Orthodoxy – Even During Uncertainty
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care published a report last week that highlights recommendations for policy makers and individuals to help reduce dementia risk worldwide. The report comes on the heels of a potential game-changer for those coping with the ill-effects of dementia – an easy-to-use blood test to diagnose…
Read MoreIn the Virtual World, Humans are Still Needed
By Brian Taylor, AuD, Editor-at-Large In the dystopian HBO series Westworld, android “hosts” cater to high paying “guests” (humans) of a Wild Wild-themed amusement park. The hosts are so proficient at copying human emotions, they have the ability to replace humans. Given all the advances in AI-driven hearing screening and hearing aid adjustment capabilities that…
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