Wayne's World

Hearing aids for profit – from Non-ethical to Ethical – Overnight Developmental History: Audiologists Can Sell Hearing Aids – But Not For Profit At the 1971 ASHA convention in Chicago, discussion had already taken place about a plan that would allow audiologists and hospital clinics to sell hearing aids on a non-profit basis.  Proponents contended that this would reduce the

Measurements: RIC, RITE, and Thin Tube BTE (RIA) Hearing Aids RIC (receiver-in-the-canal, or what some call RITE: receiver in the ear) hearing aids are major products in a dispenser’s hearing aid sales.  This article will use the term RIC because it is thought to be a more accurate description when properly fitted, and some of the advantages identified as being

The Harvard Report Revisited – Kind of…. Sometimes one collects data that could be published, but somehow never gets around to it.  This blog involves the results on one such study.* Background For many years, the so-called “Harvard Report” has been alternately credited and disparaged.  For the uninformed, the general finding of the Report was that the desired response for

Cowboy Action Shooting and Hearing Research Occasionally I get an opportunity to mix pleasure with business.  Such is the case when I attend Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) events.  Also known as Western Action Shooting or Single Action Shooting, this is a competitive shooting sport having its origins in California in the early 1980s and is now practiced in many places

What is the Mozart Effect? Jennifer Gonzalez, B.A.  Frank Muskik, Ph.D.   Editor’s Note:  A simple conversation with Dr. Musiek often leads to rather interesting topics of discussion and subsequent investigation.  Such was the case when he asked me what I knew about the the “Mozart Effect” – which was nothing.  The result of that conversation is the following article.

I am indebted to my good friend, Nico van der Merwe, Founder & Director of EDUPLEX in Pretoria, South Africa, for contributing this blog.  He, his wife, Anita, and son Nico Jr. are good friends and have been my hosts on a number of my trips to South Africa, starting long before the EDUPLEX was developed.  This is a remarkable

Conflicts/Turmoil/Antagonism This blog is a continuation of last week’s that described the changes manufacturers had to make as audiologists began to legally and ethically sell hearing aids for profit.  Today, having a hearing aid practice in which hearing aids are also sold is most likely the single largest employment opportunity for audiologists, and hearing aid sales the largest revenue-generating activity.

The Winds of Change at the Hearing Aid Manufacturing Level – Historical Events   In one of my previous blogs I described the transition of audiologists from being non-ethical for selling hearing aids, to going to legal and ethical if not sold for profit, and then essentially overnight to legal and ethical to sell hearing aids.  Certainly, a schizophrenic ride for those

Early Industry Audiology Pioneer Involvement Previous blogs related to my involvement as an Audiology Pioneer in the Hearing Aid Industry focused primarily on how I managed to enter this industry, and many of the initial trials that I, along with my colleagues at the time, had to endure as audiologists when we made this decision. This blog will focus on

Hearing aids for profit – from Non-ethical to Ethical – Overnight   Developmental History: Audiologists Can Sell Hearing Aids – But Not For Profit At the 1971 ASHA convention in Chicago, discussion had already taken place about a plan that would allow audiologists and hospital clinics to sell hearing aids on a non-profit basis.  Proponents contended that this would reduce