April—May—June - International Hearing Society

Transcription

Official Journal of the International Hearing Society
heearing
THE
Professional
APRIL–MAY–JUNE 2009
San Diego, California
IHS Convention 2009
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The
Hearing Professional
VOLUME 58, No. 2 • APRIL–MAY–JUNE 2009
(USPS 036-940)
16880 Middlebelt Rd., Ste. 4, Livonia, Michigan 48154
Telephone: 734.522.7200 • FAX: 734.522.0200 • Website: ihsinfo.org
THE HEARING PROFESSIONAL (ISSN 0004-7473) is published quarterly for members of the
International Hearing Society (IHS), 16880 Middlebelt Road, Ste. 4, Livonia, Michigan 48154. Periodicals postage paid at Livonia, Michigan and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hearing Professional, 16880 Middlebelt Road, Ste. 4, Livonia, Michigan 48154.
THE HEARING PROFESSIONAL is the official journal of IHS, a nonprofit association of hearing
healthcare professionals. Its purpose is to present authoritative technical and business information
that will help hearing aid specialists serve hearing impaired people.
Copyright © 2009 International Hearing Society
IHS members are engaged in the practice of testing human hearing and selecting, fitting and dispensing hearing instruments. Special membership categories of the Society offer membership to those who
are involved in or have an interest in the hearing instrument profession, but are not actively fitting
and dispensing hearing aids. Call 734.522.7200 for information about IHS membership.
OFFICERS AND GOVERNORS
Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA
President
Alan Lowell, BC-HIS, ACA
President-Elect
Bruce Sharp, BC-HIS, ACA
Secretary
Larry Farris, BC-HIS, ACA
Treasurer
James Ogurek, BC-HIS
Immediate Past President
503.472.8850
386.322.0832
801.484.3277
210.342.2299
Scott Beall, BC-HIS, AuD
Todd Beyer, BC-HIS
Richard Giles, BC-HIS
A. Frederick Goossen, BC-HIS
Tom Higgins, BC-HIS, ACA
John Letts, BC-HIS
John Moore, BC-HIS
513.722.2500
715.675.9923
360.690.4327
585.419.9702
201.934.7755
306.343.9516
772.219.9773
715.842.9882
EDITORIAL ADVISORS
Kathy-Jo Facteau, BC-HIS
Kathy Harvey-Jones, BC-HIS, CCCA
Kenneth Laferle, BC-HIS
Raymond Loercher, BC-HIS, ACA
William Schenk, BC-HIS, ACA
EDITORIAL STAFF
Cindy Helms, Publisher
Autumn Kovach, Managing Editor
APRIL–MAY–JUNE 2009
Contents
2 President’s Message
By Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA
4 From the Executive Director
By Cindy J. Helms
5 International Hearing Society
2008 Annual Report to Members
11 IHS Board of Governors and Staff
12 Inside Industry:
Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA, New IHS President
14 IHS Annual Convention and Expo
19 Professional Platform:
Using a Patient-Centered Approach
to Professionalize Your Office
By Granville Brady, AuD
22 Soundbytes
THE HEARING PROFESSIONAL is circulated to all members of IHS and to selected hearing aid
manufacturers and suppliers. Advertising rate cards available on request. Subscription is free to all
members of the Society. Paid subscriptions are available for $35 in the United States and Canada
and $45 in all other countries. Contact IHS for additional details.
INFORMATION contained in articles, editorials or paid advertising does not represent the endorsement
of any specific product nor is IHS responsible for opinions or interpretations expressed by contributors.
23 Chapter Track
24 IHS Membership Application
MICROFILM BACKFILES available from University Microfilms, Inc., Serials Acquisitions, 300 N.
Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106.
25 IIHIS Approved Courses
Manuscripts: Researchers, practitioners, and others are invited to submit articles and papers for publication. THE HEARING PROFESSIONAL assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.
28 Classifieds
Building Trust with ACA
The American Conference of Audioprosthology (ACA) is the premier program that helps hearing
instrument dispensers grow their practices, reach higher goals, and establish themselves as respected
healthcare providers.
Offered by the International Hearing Society’s education division, the International Institute for
Hearing Instruments Studies, this advanced program propels you to the highest standards of
excellence in your field.
For more information on this exciting career opportunity contact Carrie Pedersen at 734.522.7200,
ext. 230 or check out the IHS website at www.ihsinfo.org.
A Sound Investment
in Your Future
THE HEARING PROFESSIONAL
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA
IHS President
In this edition of The Hearing Professional, I would like to touch upon several issues that have an impact
on all of us.
The IHS Board of Governors held its annual spring meeting in San Diego, California on March 27–28.
After talking with and listening to you, the members of IHS, a discussion was held during the Board
meeting regarding the subject of mail order and Internet sales of hearing aids. A change in the IHS Code
of Ethics was presented and passed unanimously by the Board. The revised Code of Ethics will state that
IHS members shall not sell hearing aids to a patient via mail order or Internet without establishing direct,
face-to-face contact.
I would like to take a moment and comment on the advantages of continued learning. I might have
thought that after 30-years of fitting hearing instruments I knew it all, but, I was wrong. Much of what was
taught in the classes I attended with the American Conference of Audioprosthology Program as well as
those at Spokane Falls Community College was information that I had learned and forgotten over the
years, but more importantly, there was new material. What has this done for me and what can it do for
you? Being back in class had a far-reaching effect that has an underlying benefit that will not be reflected
on a grade or certificate of completion. It comes across in a higher level of enthusiasm and knowledge
that your staff and patients will pick up on. Continuing your education will improve your business and the
care that you provide to your patients. You will outdistance the competition and improve the bottom line.
So what are you waiting for?
For the new members who have just recently joined IHS and if this is your first issue of The Hearing
Professional, and especially to all those of you who are new to the profession, again I would like to
welcome you as a member. There are so many benefits offered to you with your membership in the
Society and I encourage you to take advantage of them. One such benefit of IHS membership is receiving
a member discount to attend the 58th Annual Convention and Expo. This year’s meeting will be in San
Diego, October 14–18 at the luxurious Town and Country Resort (for more information see pages 14–18).
And, after just recently visiting the Resort for our Board meeting, I can guarantee that you will love it as
much as I did. Bring the entire family, and while you are busy attending classes or visiting manufacturers in
the exhibit hall they will love spending time at one of the many pools or restaurants available. Another
great advantage—the convention headquarters hotel is within walking distance to the shopping mall, and
only a short cab ride will take you downtown, to SeaWorld, or the San Diego Zoo.
Register now and start planning your convention experience. This is your opportunity to network,
share ideas, see the latest of what the manufacturers have to offer, and participate in some top-rated
seminars. The schedule for the convention is always busy for IHS Board members; however, we are never
too busy to stop and chat with you, and I personally look forward to the opportunity to meet as many of
you as possible.
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APRIL • MAY • JUNE 2009
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In this issue of the magazine we present the 2008 IHS Annual Report to Members.
This is a consolidated summary of the year’s highlights for your information and review.
We are tremendously pleased that the combined efforts of staff, governors, and
volunteers have resulted in noteworthy accomplishments for which we can all be
proud. As advocates for your profession we have continued to gain regulatory
By Cindy J. Helms
IHS Executive Director
strongholds, grow our education division, welcome new student and professional
members, upgrade our communications media and, in general, achieve ever higher
levels of excellence, stature, and respectability.
You will note, however, that 2008 expenses exceeded income. As with many
other organizations, especially nonprofits, this is attributable to the global economic
crisis. IHS has not been immune to the consequences of the recession, but we are
working proactively to meet the daunting fiscal challenges of the current climate.
A community spirit
will be key as we
move forward.
The executive management of the Society has been diligent in its effor ts
to minimize the budgetary fallout, while simultaneously maximizing the value of
our membership dollars. As 2009 unfolds, we will continue to make any changes
necessary to ensure the financial stability of the Society. I can assure you that your
best interests are the driving force in our day-to-day operations and our long-range
strategic planning.
Tough times tend to bring us closer together in a common goal and we need to
work in unison in support of our mission to serve the hearing impaired to the best of
our ability. We appreciate that you have retained your IHS membership and hope that
you’ll join us in San Diego for the annual convention. Any advocacy contributions
would be most welcome and, as always, your ideas and suggestions are strongly
encouraged. A community spirit will be key as we move forward.
Let me say in closing that the Board of Governors and staff are honored to
represent you, the members. You have entrusted us with the Society’s management
and we, in turn, have devoted ourselves to protecting and advancing your professional
interests. We extend our sincerest thanks for your loyal support of the Society and
your dedication to the hearing healthcare profession. Quality of life for the hearing
Ms. Helms can be reached
at 734.522.7200 or by email
at [email protected].
4
impaired continues to improve through your expert, compassionate care and we are
proud to serve each and every one of you.
International Hearing Society
2008 Annual Report to Members
The Board of Governors and staff of the International Hearing Society are pleased to present the 2008 Annual Report
to Members. All activities throughout the year were dedicated to actions deemed to be the most powerfully advantageous to our membership. Our efforts on your behalf are guided by our mission to represent your interests in the best
possible ways.
Statement of Operations
The year-end financial statement places expenses over revenue by $33,172. While the severe economic downturn is responsible for this deficit, you can be assured that staff and leadership worked diligently to keep our losses to a minimum during this challenging recessionary period.
Revenue
Administration and Miscellaneous
$
Membership
$ 568,346
Advocacy
$
Education
$ 522,575
Communications
$
Conventions and Meetings
$ 276,231
Total
$1,469,535
Administration
and Misc. 1%
10,964
64,112
Conventions
and Meetings
20%
Communications
2%
Membership
38%
27,307
Education
35%
Advocacy
4%
Expenses
Administration and Miscellaneous
$ 782,499
Membership
$
Advocacy
$ 111,964
Education
$ 161,811
Communications
$
Conventions and Meetings
$ 364,611
TOTAL
$1,502,707
Expenses Over Revenue
$ (33,172)
8,217
73,605
Conventions
and Meetings
24%
Communications
5%
Administration
and Misc. 52%
Education
11%
Advocacy
7%
Membership
1%
Advocacy and Outreach
Many thanks to those of you who contributed to the Advocacy Alliance. These funds are used exclusively for advocating on your behalf in the legislative and regulatory arena and in developing important coalitions for a stronger,
more influential voice. It is of critical importance in expanding the benefits of better hearing to an increasing number
of those in need and in safeguarding your ability to serve them. As IHS continues its vigorous advocacy and liaison efforts, we urge our members to actively participate in the political process and develop and sustain relationships with
their elected representatives at the state, provincial, and federal level.
— 2008 ANNUAL REPORT TO MEMBERS —
5
Federal Government Affairs
An important member service provided by IHS is federal advocacy. This work to affect legislation and regulations and to develop relationships and coalitions with
others in the hearing health sector is designed to expand
the benefits of amplification to an increasing number of
the hearing impaired. For more than thirty years, the
Society has maintained the excellent services of Washington Counsel Tim Waters of McDermott Will &
Emery LLP to help guide our regulatory efforts. For
more than a decade, Karen Sealander, also of McDermott Will & Emery LLP, has advocated with Waters on
the Society’s behalf. (Special note: Mr. Waters retired at
the end of 2008. We wish him many long and happy
years ahead.)
Tax Credit Legislation
IHS continues its support of the Hearing Aid Assistance
Tax Credit Act. This legislation is designed to encourage
an increasing number of Americans to enjoy the benefits
of amplification. The legislation would provide a tax
credit of up to $500 per hearing aid, available once every
five years, toward the purchase of a hearing aid. The legislation has no restrictions on who may dispense the device and no restrictions on the technology available to
the patient. At the close of the 110th Congressional session the legislation saw the support of 112 members for
the House version of the bill and 13 members for the
Senate bill. Although this legislation failed to pass in the
110th Congress, there is tremendous support from influential Congressional committee members to encourage
passage in the 111th Congressional session.
IHS Board of Governors
Meeting
The IHS Board of Governors took their annual spring
Board meeting to the U.S. capitol. IHS governors and
staff held individual meetings with their respective
Members of Congress and key federal agency personnel
carrying the message that millions of Americans could
and should benefit from the hearing help available to
them. Among the priority issues addressed was the hearing aid tax credit. In addition to individual Congressional visits, meetings were held with the offices of several
members of the House Ways and Means Committee
and Senate Finance Committee, which have jurisdiction
over the tax credit.
During this lobbying effort, IHS partnered with the
American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck
Surgery (AAO-HNS) and the Hearing Industries Association (HIA) to meet with representatives from the Office
of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM has jurisdiction
over the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program,
which covers approximately eight million government
6
workers and their families. As a direct result of that
meeting OPM issued a call letter to insurance carriers
encouraging them to enhance hearing aid benefits and to
include all licensed and qualified providers.
Public Awareness Program
IHS collaborated with other members of the hearing
healthcare community to promote a public awareness
program through the Surgeon General’s office. The meeting with Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Galson,
MD, MPH, was arranged by the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) to urge the Surgeon General to
take on hearing loss as a public literacy/public awareness
outreach effort. Other hearing health organizations present at the meeting included representatives from AG
Bell, AAO-HNS, HIA, American Academy of Audiology,
American Speech-Hearing-Language Association, and
National Association of the Deaf. The Surgeon General
was impressed with the wide range of representatives in
attendance and showed a keen interest in hearing health
issues. The meeting successfully opened a dialogue between the office and the hearing health community.
Standard Occupational
Classification Update
On May 22, 2008, the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Policy Committee published in the Federal
Register its recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for revising the SOC for 2010.
In response, IHS submitted a written request to the
OMB that hearing aid specialists be separately identified
as a distinct detailed occupation.
Resulting from the Society’s advocacy, the 2010 SOC
will separately identify hearing aid specialists as a distinct detailed occupation under Healthcare Practitioners
and Technical Occupations, subcategory Health Technologists and Technicians.
Partnership Between IHS
and AAO-HNS
IHS collaborates very effectively with AAO-HNS on
federal legislative, regulatory, and public affairs matters.
We have, for example, written numerous joint letters to
the FDA and conducted numerous joint meetings with
FDA officials, Members of Congress, and congressional
staff to advance our shared view that entry into the
hearing healthcare delivery system through all three
providers (physicians, hearing instrument specialists,
and audiologists) must be preserved. We also joined together to form America’s Hearing Healthcare Team,
which advocates a multidisciplinary team approach with
access to all qualified providers.
The leadership of both organizations meets regularly to
discuss issues of critical importance and explore new ways
in which their partnership can be mutually supportive.
Provider Network Inclusion
IHS believes that licensed and qualified hearing healthcare professionals should be included in provider networks serving patients with insurance coverage for
hearing aids and related services. To support that message, the IHS Board of Governors, Federal Advocacy
Committee, Washington Counsel, and staff collaborated on the creation of a white paper that will be used
to promote our position on this important issue.
State Government Affairs
Another important aspect of our advocacy efforts is at
the local level, primarily in providing assistance to affiliate chapters to supplement their respective efforts. The
following section highlights state legislative actions that
occurred in 2008 and our continued coalition efforts
with others on the hearing healthcare team.
IHS and AAO-HNS State Liaison Effort
IHS and AAO-HNS maintain a state liaison effort
which affords the Society’s chapters the opportunity to
establish an official liaison relationship with otolaryngologists in their state. Activities that have resulted from
this program include sharing of information with respect
to state legislative developments, increasing coordination
of grassroots efforts to promote the importance of hearing health, and working to ensure that state legislators
understand the hearing healthcare delivery system.
State Events in Support
of Tax Credit Legislation
IHS partnered with the HIA and other allied organizations to support the hearing aid tax credit legislation
at the grassroots level by supporting local events for
influential Congressional leaders. In 2008, local events
were held for Rep. Nick Lampson (D–Houston, TX),
Rep. Xavier Beccerra (D–Los Angeles, CA), Rep. Mike
Thompson (D–Napa, CA), and Rep. Shelley Berkley
(D–Las Vegas, NV). These targeted local events were designed to raise the Congressman’s awareness of the importance of hearing health to overall health and general
well-being and to demonstrate constituent support for
hearing aid tax credit legislation. IHS and local affiliate
chapter leadership provide organizational and promotional support for these events.
Insurance Coverage for Hearing Health
Twenty states addressed insurance legislation with varying degrees of coverage and provider provisions. IHS is
committed to promoting access to all licensed and qualified hearing healthcare professionals in provider networks serving patients with insurance coverage for
hearing aids and related services.
Audioprosthology Title
Attention was once again focused on the use of the Audioprosthology title during 2008. Only those who have
completed the advance practice training of the American Conference of Audioprosthology are allowed to use
this title. Working with leadership on the state level,
IHS has educated policymakers and regulatory authorities on the value of the program and justification for
graduates to use the title.
Legislative Monitoring
An electronic reporting service allows IHS to daily monitor legislative activity throughout the U.S. that could impact the hearing healthcare profession and the hearing
impaired. IHS notifies the appropriate chapter and works
with their leadership to provide strategic development
and implementation, documentation, bill analysis, and
coordinate strategic contacts.
Professional Education and Training
IHS continues to be a leader in hearing healthcare education. Managed by IHS’s education division, the International
Institute for Hearing Instruments Studies (IIHIS), our programs are widely acclaimed for their standards of excellence. Highlights of IIHIS accomplishments for 2008 follow.
IIHIS is the largest provider of accreditation for continuing education programs in hearing instrument sciences.
With nearly 300 course approvals, this was an exceptional
year for provider-sponsored programs. Over 15,000 certificates of completion were issued to course attendees. IIHIS
developed 14 seminars for the IHS convention.
Sales and distribution of the Society’s distance learning program for entry-level training, Distance Learning
for Professional in Hearing Health Sciences, continues
to flourish at an all-time high. Nearly 800 programs
were sold in 2008 and 183 students completed the
course. The distance learning program was translated
into Spanish for broader distribution.
IHS’s advanced educational program, the American
Conference of Audioprosthology, continues to thrive.
This is a 13-month course available to interested hearing health professionals in the U.S. Fifteen students
graduated during the year.
7
2007–2008 Committees
IHS extends its appreciation to the following members who have demonstrated their commitment to the Society and
the profession by volunteering their time and expertise on one or more committees. They excelled during their twoyear service term and many agreed to serve again in 2009–2010. Member involvement through voluntarism is a critical component of our success.
ACA
Federal Advocacy
Pat Connelly, PhD, CCCA, Chair
Hans Christopher Bell, BC-HIS, ACA
Thomas Higgins, BC-HIS, ACA
Dana McSpaden, CCC-SLP/A
Therese Wolf, BC-HIS, ACA
J. Scott George, BC-HIS, Chair
Robin Clowers, BC-HIS
Larry Farris, BC-HIS, ACA
Raymond Rich, BC-HIS
W. Ben Wofford, BC-HIS
Awards
Grievance
Scott Austin, BC-HIS, Chair
W. F. Samuel Hopmeier, BC-HIS
Patrick Kochanowski, BC-HIS, ACA
Nonean Price, BC-HIS
G. Charles Young, BC-HIS
A. W. Britt Rivers, BC-HIS, Chair
Charles St. James, BC-HIS
Kathy Harvey-Jones, BC-HIS, CCCA,
Chair
Sandy Bichard, BC-HIS
Todd Beyer, BC-HIS, ACA
Michael Stone, BC-HIS
Antoinette Tiberi, BC-HIS
Leann Polhill, BC-HIS
Joel Cmiel, BC-HIS
The Hearing Professional
Public Relations
Bylaws
Howard Kan, BC-HIS, Chair
Ray Hill, BC-HIS, ACA
Carl McCurdy, BC-HIS
Raymond Rich, BC-HIS
Michael Stone, BC-HIS
Chapter Relations
Larry Farris, BC-HIS, ACA, Chair
Deanne Manning, BC-HIS
Deborah Twisdale, BC-HIS
CPOP
Therese Wolf, BC-HIS, ACA, Chair
Michael Moran, BC-HIS
Ethics
Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA, Chair
John Bartolucci, BC-HIS, ACA
Sandy Bichard, BC-HIS
Harlan Blake, BC-HIS
Linda Donaldson, BC-HIS, CCCA
Stanley McDaniel, BC-HIS, ACA
Lloyd Musselman, BC-HIS, ACA
Robert Siegel, AuD, BC-HIS, CCCA
Exhibit
Kelly Clark (Sonic Innovations)
Grace Defilippis (Beltone)
Randy Dickins (MedRx)
Henning Falster (Oticon)
Janis Lybarger (Microsonic)
8
Nominating Committee
for President-Elect
Granville Brady, AuD
Kathy-Jo Facteau, BC-HIS
Ken LaFerle, BC-HIS
Ray Loercher, BC-HIS, ACA
Scott Austin, BC-HIS, Chair
Christine Feige, BC-HIS
Thomas Higgins, BC-HIS, ACA
Connie Johnson, BC-HIS
Bill Schenk, BC-HIS, ACA
International Affairs
Resource Development
John Letts, BC-HIS, Chair
Harlan Cato, BC-HIS
Anne Hogarth
Alan Stone, BC-HIS
International Institute for
Hearing Instruments Studies
Denny Dingler, BC-HIS, ACA
Rick Giles, BC-HIS
Jerome Goldstein, MD
Charles Herb, BC-HIS, ACA
Jay McSpaden, PhD, BC-HIS, CCCA
Ron Perry, BC-HIS, ACA
Item Writers
H. Christopher Bell, BC-HIS, ACA, Chair
Larry Brethower, BC-HIS
Dana McSpaden, CCC-SLP/A
Jay McSpaden, PhD, BC-HIS, CCCA
Michael Moran, BC-HIS
Kelly Morgan-MacKenzie, BC-HIS
Richard Nodar, PhD
Scott Austin, BC-HIS
Alan Lowell, BC-HIS, ACA
Scope of Practice
Laura Dennison, BC-HIS, CCCA, Chair
Randy Swint, BC-HIS
State Advocacy
Therese Wolf, BC-HIS, ACA, Chair
Linda Donaldson, BC-HIS, CCCA
Bruce Mow
We also wish to thank those who
served temporary assignments for
territorial governor elections.
Membership
Sherry Appleby, BC-HIS
Christine Fiege, BC-HIS
Mary Lou Luebbe-Gearhart, BC-HIS,
AuD, CCCA
New Members in 2008
The Society is only as strong as its membership and we are pleased to announce the addition of 293 new members in
2008. We wish to congratulate the following individuals who stepped forward to become members of IHS. We salute
your commitment to the profession and welcome you aboard.
John Adams, III, BC-HIS
Anthony Albanese
Leigh Alderman
Fabiola Anaya
James Anderson, BC-HIS, CCC-SLP
Clayton Andrews, III, BC-HIS
Natalie Andrews
Brenda Angelstad, BC-HIS
Eliodoro Anglarill
Chris Arnold
Lindsay Atwood
Mary Barber
Megan Barnes
Andreas Barous
Amber Barr
Elizabeth Barth, BC-HIS
C. Reagan Beam
Uttam Belel
Annie Belin-Bilke
Deborah Beneby
Zachary Bennett, BC-HIS
Dennis Bettis, BC-HIS
Sean Borland
Candace Boyer
Cynthia Britt
Kenneth Brooks, BC-HIS
Theresa Brumfield
Brenda Brumwell
Jerry Brungardt, BC-HIS
Thomas Bryant, BC-HIS
Ross Burke
Joe Burns
Leslie Bush
Karen Butler, BC-HIS, ACA
Sandra Cahill, BC-HIS
Mirtha Camacho
Christina Campanozzi
Colette Carey
Kevin Cason
Robert Caswell
Tracy Caswell
Timothy Chapman
Valerie Charette, BC-HIS
Christopher Childs
Chris Chmielewski
Maria Chrysikos
Susan Cloud
Ryan Cohen
Lois Collie
Jim Collins
David Colombo
Diana Constantino
Leslie Cook
Lucia Cordovez, BC-HIS
Jack Moore Corry, II, BC-HIS
Susan Cote
Thais Coughanour
Kevin Crabtree
Thomas Crone
Rhonda Cunningham, ACA
Judith Curtin
Terra Dannes
Gerianne Davenport, BC-HIS
Michelle Davenport, BC-HIS, AuD
Debra Davila
Fidel Davila, ACA
Charles Davis
Shawn Davis
Michael De Yarman
Belinda DeLaby
Dwayne Devore
David Dishman, BC-HIS
Shirley Dominick
Charlene Doss
Jill Dowling
Thomas Downey
James Downing, BC-HIS
Sandra Duncan, BC-HIS
Jeffrey Duttera
Tracie Edwards
Andrew Ehlers
Kristen Ekedal
Daniel Faneuf
Cathy Fasano
Darryl Feaga
Deanne Feirick
John Finnerty
James Fish, BC-HIS
Anthony Foggia
Terry Fox, BC-HIS
Hirsch Friedman
Hal Frost
Kevin Fura
Marco Fuster
Roger Garcia
Carol Gaussoin
Golda Gold
Diane Gonzalez
James Graham
Shirley Green, ACA
Rochelle Gregoire
Kathy Gregory
Debra Griffin, BC-HIS
Brett Griffith
Scott Guyer
Charles Haas
Tayebeh Hajibagheri
Terry Hall
Nicole Hamdan-Huguelet
John Hamm, BC-HIS
Trevor Hancheroff, BC-HIS
Amy Harris
Debra Harris
Cherry Hartshorn, BC-HIS
Ronald Haynes, BC-HIS
Melissa Hazelton
Arlynn Hefta
Clayton Helms
Jill Hermiller
JennaMarie Hille
Joseph Hines
Gary Hittleman, BC-HIS
Candice Holden
Kyle Hooper
Beth Hummeldorf
Audie Hunsbusher
Natalie Huska, BC-HIS
Rosemarie Huskey
Dianne Ingwersen
Dwight Isenhoward
Clifton Istre, BC-HIS, CCCA
Bea Jackson
Stephen Joffe, MD
Misty Jones, BC-HIS
Robert Jones, III
Russell Jones, BC-HIS
Teresa Jones
Thomas Jones
9
Esther Jordan
Gloria Joseph
Edward Justice
Rachel Justice
Kristofer Kaelin
Zahra Kalantari
Eric Kaminsky
Diane Kaplan
Lyle Karp
Kathleen Kelly
William Kemple, BC-HIS
Dean Kent
Bader Khalaf
Kenneth Kidd
Bonnie King
Cindy King, BC-HIS
Donna Kirkland
James Kish
Steve Klapperich
Donald Kleindl, III
Julie Klompas
Robert Knapp, III
Melissa Knapp-Jensen
Kevin Knight
Dean Knoblach, BC-HIS
Sharon Kober
Gina Kontz, ABA
Elizabeth Kremer, BC-HIS
Barbara Kummerlen
Daniel LaDuke
Janet LaFond
Nathan Laisure
Krista Lalonde
Royce LaMarr, BC-HIS
Carolyn Langston Bullington
Melissa Lee
Tammy Legge
Gregory LeRoy, BC-HIS
Jeff Lev
Douglas Lewis, JD
Kurt Lillemon
Joyce Long, BC-HIS
Virginia Lopez
Daniela LoPresti
Angela Losonsky
Diane Lukens, BC-HIS
David Lupien
Stephanie Macke
Frank Mackell
Randall Madden
Summer Maddox
Steve Marando, BC-HIS
10
Bryce Marsh
Mary McAndrew, BC-HIS
Barack McClain
Thomas McCroskey, Jr., BC-HIS
Angela McGlumphy
Roberta McMillian
Sally McMullin
Alexander Meier
Michael Meleca
Angela Melton, ACA
Kaiwa Metzker
Barbara Miles
Brian Miles, BC-HIS
Trena Morgan
Larry Mortemore
Sharon Mueller
Anna Mysliwiec, BC-HIS
Robert Naegely
Donnie Newman, Jr.
Steven W. Newsom
Mark E. Nielson, III, BC-HIS
Joe O’Donnell
Wade O’Neal
Jeffrey Olson
Alaina Orr
Stephen Owens
Maritza Palacios
Emily Palmer
Sharon Pattee
Robert Pavlik, BC-HIS
Brent Peterson, BC-HIS
Deborah Phalen
Rise Preslar
Anthony Pro
Mike Pruneda
Kimber Quattlebaum
Douglas Rankin
Julie Raybuck, BC-HIS
Kristi Raymond
David Reamer, BC-HIS
Eric Reams
Andria Reid-Caro
Lisa Rex, BC-HIS
Ricky Robinson
Daniel Rolin
Travis Roskam
Alyre Joseph Roy, BC-HIS
Karen Rushkewich
Art Salas
Jerry Salas
Jennifer Salisbury
Mary San Miguel
Stephanie Sari
Sugano Satoshi
Martin Sattler
Roger Saunders, BC-HIS
Michael Schaeffler, BC-HIS
Michael Schmit
Karen Schneider, BC-HIS
Garrett Schupp
Jason Shillingstad
Debbra Sikora, BC-HIS
Grady Simmons, BC-HIS
William Simmons, BC-HIS
Tomas Slosarek
Amanda Smith
Donald Smith
Melody Smith-Jones
Michael Spain
Robert Stevenson, AuD, CCCA
Karla Stokes
Jeremy Stroud, BC-HIS
Mark Stuemke
Laura Szot
Howard Tamashiro, AuD
Valerie Taylor
Dennis Tembreull
Aggie Thiesing
Lisa Thomas, ACA
P. Drew Thompson
David Trefry
Calvin Trepp
Malvina Trifilio, BC-HIS
Elizabeth Vickery, BC-HIS
Peter Vieira, BC-HIS
Ronald Villeneuve, BC-HIS
Amy Waller
Donna Watson
Paula Watson
Carol Weidman, BC-HIS
Bruce Weinstein, BC-HIS
Lee Weissman
Karen Wheeler
Tina Wicker-Carper
George Widhson, Sr.
George Widhson, III
Julianne Wiley
Kathleen Winget
Leslie Winget
B. Scott Wisniewski, BC-HIS
Jon Wood
Jessica Ziegler
Robert Zwickey
The IHS Board of Governors and staff look forward to serving you in 2009
and providing you with the highest level of support and assistance.
IHS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Chris Gustafson,
BC-HIS, ACA
[email protected]
President-Elect
Alan Lowell,
BC-HIS, ACA
Secretary
Bruce Sharp
BC-HIS, ACA
Treasurer
Larry Farris,
BC-HIS, ACA
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Immediate
Past President
James Ogurek,
BC-HIS
[email protected]
IHS TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS
Scott Beall, AuD,
BC‑HIS
Todd Beyer,
BC‑HIS, ACA
Larry Farris,
BC-HIS, ACA
Central East:
IN, KY, MI, OH
Central: IL, IA,
MO, MN, WI
Southwest: AZ, AR,
LA, NM, OK, TX
[email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Richard Giles,
BC-HIS, ACA
A. Frederick Goossen,
BC-HIS
Pacific: AK, CA, HI,
Northeast Coast:
ID, NV, OR, WA CT, ME, MA, NH, NY,
[email protected]
RI, VT
[email protected]
Tom Higgins,
BC‑HIS, ACA
John Letts, BC-HIS
John Moore, BC-HIS
Central East Coast:
DE, DC, MD, NJ,
PA, VA, WV
Canada
[email protected]
Southeast: AL, FL,
GA, MS, NC, SC, TN
[email protected]
[email protected]
Bruce Sharp,
BC-HIS, ACA
Northwest: CO, KS,
MN, MT, NE, ND,
SD, UT, WY
[email protected]
IHS STAFF*
Cindy Helms
Executive Director
[email protected]
Autumn Kovach
Administrative Manager
and THP Editor
Susan Stewart
Government Affairs
Manager
[email protected]
Alice Markey
Executive Assistant
*There are 10
staff positions,
but the new hire
for Marketing/
Membership/
Communications
Manager had not
been determined at
press time.
Marlene Deuby
Executive Assistant
[email protected]
Rosalie Francis
Executive Assistant
[email protected]
[email protected]
Kathleen Mennillo
Education Manager
[email protected]
Carrie Pedersen
Education Services
Coordinator
[email protected]
[email protected]
Tami Bethune
IT Specialist
[email protected]
11
INSIDE INDUSTRY
New IHS President
future of IHS, what are the most important issues on your agenda?
Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA, be
gan his two-year term as president of
the International Hearing Society
(IHS) on January 1, 2009. President
Gustafson received his dispensing license in 1977 and was later certified
by the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences
and completed IHS’s educational program the American Conference of
Audioprosthology.
Gustafson, a member of IHS since
1980, resides with his wife Meg in
Salem, Oregon.
In a recent interview with The Hearing Professional, Gustafson discussed
his goals for the next two years and
gave us an insider’s look into his life.
THP: I think our readers would like
to know, first of all, about your background and what motivated you to
choose hearing instrument dispensing
as a career.
Gustafson: I was born in Prineville,
Oregon and I grew up in Salem, which
Gustafson: My first priority is to see
our membership grow in number.
IHS as a professional society welcomes all hearing health professionals. It is with the strength in membership that we will make our voice
heard on issues at the state/provincial
levels and internationally.
THP: Please share with our readers
your thoughts on expanding education.
makes me a native Oregonian. I got
my first start in the business when my
former father-in-law owned a business
called Oregon Hearing Aid Center.
With his encouragement and training,
I started my career in the hearing
health profession.
THP: What made you want the very
top position at IHS?
Gustafson: With the leadership training I have received through my involvement with the Lions Club, I felt I
had the necessary skills. I am a strong
supporter of IHS and what our members do for the benefit of our patients.
I believe key to that is to continuously
be involved with improving ourselves.
I am a strong believer in mentoring,
and if I can reach out and encourage
just one person to go further with their
career, then I feel I have succeeded.
Enjoying the beautiful surroundings at
Zion National Park.
12
THP: An incoming president always
brings a fresh perspective and a unique
set of priorities. As you consider the
Gustafson: I believe strongly that continuing education is the key to having
the competitive edge in this business.
I’d like our members and others to utilize the educational resources available out there today. IHS’s American
Conference of Audioprosthology (ACA)
is a tremendous opportunity to advance your business and improve your
skills as a professional. And, I highly
recommend the pursuit of earning a
degree in a hearing instrument sciences program.
THP: You clearly have a strong passion for continuing education. Can
you tell our readers about your educational background?
Gustafson: I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Oregon University back in 1992. And last
year I completed the hearing instrument specialist program at Spokane
Falls Community College and received
my associates in applied science degree.
THP: You have an outstanding history
of volunteerism in the hearing healthcare profession. Will you please share
a few highlights with our readers?
Gustafson: I served two terms as president of the Oregon Hearing Society. I
was appointed by the governor to
serve on the Oregon Governor’s Advisory Council on Hearing Aids for the
INSIDE INDUSTRY
Oregon Health Licensing Agency and
served in that capacity for 13 years. I
was elected to the NBC-HIS Executive Council; however, I relinquished
that position as I became an officer on
the IHS Board. I have also volunteered
on several committees including IHS’s
Ethics, Membership, Resource Development, and Grievance Committees.
THP: What are some of your proudest accomplishments as a hearing
healthcare professional?
Gustafson: First, I’d say becoming
Board Certified with NBC-HIS. And
next completing the coursework of the
ACA program and then taking that to
the next level and going back to school
at Spokane Falls Community College
and earning my associates degree in the
hearing instrument sciences program.
THP: Switching gears altogether, if
you had to guess, what would you say
is something people would be most
shocked to learn about you?
Gustafson: I spent a year in jail. At the
time, we referred to it as, “Home Release.” I had the keys and went home
at the end of the shift as I spent a year
working as a corrections officer for
the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Gustafson: I’ve been married since
1986 to my wife Meg who I met while
attending a Tri-State convention. She
is an educational audiologist currently
working with the Willamette Education Service District. We love traveling
and the life on cruises. Some trips
have taken us to Sweden, Mexico,
Alaska, the Grand Canyon, and Crater Lake here in Oregon. We also
enjoy hiking, camping, and I especially enjoy fishing trips.
We try to make one or two trips annually to visit Ashland, Oregon to attend plays at the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival, as well as trips to Seattle to
visit family and see plays at the Seattle
Repertory Theater. We also have season tickets to the Oregon Symphony
and the Pentacle Theater here in Salem.
THP: In closing is there anything
you’d like to share?
Gustafson: I look forward to serving
all of the members of IHS and being a
part of the continued growth of our
Society. THP
Chris and his wife Meg.
THP: How do you like to spend time
away from the rigors of your very
busy professional schedule?
Balance work, family, and school.
Take MacEwan’s
Hearing Aid Practitioner
program in the comfort of your own home
through distance delivery.
Due to our rapidly aging population,
trained hearing aid practitioners are in
high demand! Based on international
standards, this 60-credit, two-year
program offers a professional credential
at a price that won’t make your ears ring!
Learn to:
s0ERFORMHEARINGTESTSANDEVALUATE
client needs
s3ELECTFITANDDISPENSEHEARINGAIDS
and assistive listening devices
s$EVELOPBUSINESSMANAGEMENTAND
customer relation skills
Find out more!
Call 1-800-799-6113 or visit
www.MacEwan.ca/hearingaid.
Chris and his big catch.
13
Join Us in “Sun-sational” San Diego!
The IHS Annual Convention and Expo is always a spectacular whirlwind
of seminars, business meetings, manufacturer products, networking and
fun in a beautiful location. This year’s exciting destination tunes us in to
the “Sun‑sational Sounds” of San Diego, California from October 14–18!
Please read on to see what excitement awaits at this year’s meeting.
Sharpen Your Professional Edge
Now is the perfect time to renew your
commitment to your profession. The IHS
58th Annual Convention and Expo is the
ideal opportunity for celebrating the superb quality of care we provide to the
hearing impaired around the world. You
can expect an explosion of creative concepts, innovative programming, practicebuilding opportunities and, well, just
plain fun. As an attendee, you’ll visit with
old friends and make important new
business connections. You’ll have a firsthand look at the industry’s most progressive products and services. You’ll broaden
your knowledge base for advanced expertise. You’ll join forces with colleagues
to promote the ideals of the Society and
the profession at large.
Our goal is to exceed your expectations
and offer a huge return on your very
wise investment.
•Educational sessions that are second
to none
•Exciting social events
•Important business meetings
•Exhibitor showcase of products and
services
•An evening aboard the USS Midway
•Networking with colleagues and
vendors
There’s no other event that provides this
much value to you as a hearing healthcare practitioner. Make the smart move
and register today. Simply complete
the registration form on page 18 or
register online at www.ihsinfo.org.
All That’s Missing in San Diego is YOU!
With its sunny disposition, cultural
bravado, and fun-filled attractions, San
Diego is the perfect city for this year’s
convention. Location is everything and
we always choose a spot that makes a
great vacation destination for your
whole family.
We’ve booked the entire event at the
luxurious Town and Country Resort.
This beautifully-appointed hotel has
top-notch accommodations and offers
the finest hospitality. With everything
self-contained in a single property, you
won’t have the hassle of long walks or
shuttle buses. In fact, the vibrant gardens, peaceful fountains, and shimmering pools make the short stroll from
sleeping rooms to meeting rooms a
wonderful bonus.
If you want to venture beyond the hotel,
many fantastic adventures await. Tourists come from all over the world to enjoy the fruits of the city and the spec14
tacular southern California landscape.
Here is just a sampling of what makes
San Diego such a famous hot spot.
•The San Diego Zoo is one of the largest, most progressive zoos in the world,
showcasing over 4,000 animals of more
than 800 species.
•Downtown is booming with awardwinning restaurants and exciting
nightlife.
•Sightseeing options include scenic
cruises and bus, trolley, or walking
tours—including everything from the
harbor, to historic Old Town, to vintage neighborhoods, to downtown, to
coastline vistas.
•Torrey Pines has earned international
acclaim as a premier golf course and
was the site of the U.S. Open Championship last year.
•SeaWorld has 200 acres of world-class
shows, thrilling rides, and amazing
marine life.
REGISTER ONLINE: WWW.IHSINFO.ORG
•There are parks, museums, and shopping galore—and so much more!!!
San Diego is truly a lifetime experience
you won’t want to miss.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, October 14
TBD
Golf Event at Torrey Pines
(optional)
12:00p–6:00p
Onsite Registration
2:00p–6:00p
Pre-convention Seminar: Effective
Management Strategies (optional)
7:00p–10:00p
Welcome Reception
Thursday, October 15
7:15a–6:00p
Onsite Registration
7:15a–8:00a
Continental Breakfast
8:00a–12:00p
Chapter Leadership Conference
8:00a–10:00a
Choice of Concurrent Seminars:
•Basic Masking: Explanation
and Procedure
•Hearing Healthcare and the
Age Boom
10:00a–12:00p
•Compression, Directional
Microphones & Digital
Noise Reduction
•When Listening Environments
Collide with Digital Technology
12:30p–2:30p
Annual Membership Meeting
& Luncheon
2:30p–4:30p
•Beyond Audiometrics: Building
a “Tool Box” for Fitting Success
•Top Ten Reasons for Hearing
Aid Delight
6:00p–10:00p
“Magical Midway”—Dinner, Tours
& Entertainment Aboard the
USS Midway
11:30a–2:00p
Exhibit Hall Open (Includes
Lunch & Silent Auction)
2:00p–4:00p
•Common Clinical Encounters
•Psychology of Changing
Attitudes, Beliefs, and
Expectations
•Speech Mapping
2:00p–4:00p
Licensing Board Conference
4:30p–6:30p
Exhibit Hall Reception
(Includes Live Auction)
Saturday, October 17
Friday, October 16
7:15a–6:00p
Onsite Registration
7:30a–9:30a
Breakfast & Silent Auction)
9:30a–11:30a
•Best Practices in
Cerumen Management
•The Perception of Sound
•Counseling Adjustments for
Advanced Technology
8:00a–10:30a
Breakfast & Silent Auction)
10:30a–12:00p
Learn or Burn
(General Session Seminar)
12:00p–2:30p
Awards Luncheon
Midway Magic—An Evening Extravaganza
Can you imagine anything as spectacular as dining on the flight deck of a 1001.6foot aircraft carrier with breathtaking
views of one of the most beautiful harbors in the world? You’ll enjoy a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime extravaganza
aboard the USS Midway that will be a
treasured memory for years to come.
This world-famous vessel is ours exclusively for the night! We’ll serve a sumptuous dinner banquet with panoramic
views of San Diego and the harbor. The
dazzling sunset and city lights reflecting
off the water will create a colorful backdrop to a fun-filled evening.
You’ll be free to tour all the fascinating
areas of the vessel—even experience
what it was like to assume active duty—
and shop for those must-have souvenirs.
San Diego’s Navy Pier is the majestic
Midway’s final berth. Commissioned in
1945, she was the lead ship in her class,
and the first aircraft carrier built that
was too large to pass through the Panama Canal.
She inspired all personnel who served
on board and now, at rest, she continues to inspire visitors from around
the world.
This is just one of
the many spectacular
highlights new to this
year’s “sun-sational”
convention experience.
Register today and ensure
your spot at this monumental
industry event.
QUESTIONS? CALL 734.522.7200
15
Exciting Attractions
This is just a sampling of this year’s exclusive features.
Welcome Reception
We’ll start things off with a garden party
on the beautiful grounds of the Town &
Country Resort. Enjoy local music and
cuisine while you meet and greet your
friends and colleagues. This is sure to
put you in the right frame of mind for
the rest of your convention experience.
Tee Time at Torrey Pines
What golfer hasn’t longed to play the
exquisite, world-famous bluffs and
plains of Torrey Pines Golf Course
(home of the 2008 U.S. Open Championship)? This is your chance! Join family, friends, and colleagues on the
greens for the thrill of a lifetime. Green
fees are $245 per person. For details on
this optional event, call Susan Stewart
at 734.522.7200.
Exhibitor Showcase
This year’s dynamic exhibits offer an
extravaganza of technology designed
to improve your success as a hearing
healthcare provider. Enjoy one-on-one
interaction with manufacturers who
will demonstrate the newest technology for growing your practice and better serving your patients.
Silent and Live Auctions
We’ve taken one of our most popular attractions and made it even more exciting! In addition to the Silent Auction,
you can participate in a thrilling Live
Auction. Win big at both auctions, where
lucky bidders will take home the best
bargains of the year!
Earn Extra Credit
Wednesday, October 14—
2:00p–6:00p
Squeeze even more invaluable infor‑
mation into your conference experi‑
ence and earn four extra hours of
continuing education credit. Come
early and take advantage of our preconvention seminar.*
Effective Management Strategies
This course offers processes to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness
of patient hearing assessment, counseling, fitting, and follow-up care. It
challenges the skills, knowledge level,
current practices, and ethical concerns
of the hearing healthcare professional.
Michael Metz, PhD
President, Audiology Associates
Robert Sandlin, PhD
Author
*T his is an optional seminar not included
in any convention package.
Registration Fee
$59 member/$79 non-member
(through July 31)
$69 member/$89 non-member
(starting August 1)
Special Details
Hotel Accommodations
This year’s convention is completely
housed in the sumptuously-appointed
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center. This picturesque venue is
warmly inviting. Whether relaxing by a
sun-drenched pool, strolling through
lush gardens, enjoying fine cuisine, or
pampering yourself at the luxurious
spa, your convention “home” is truly a
destination unto itself.
We’ve negotiated special discounted
room rates of $147 and $167 (your choice
of three room options—details on the
hotel link via the IHS website). Reserve
your room today by calling the hotel
directly at 800.772.8527 and identifying
16
yourself with the IHS convention or registering online at www.ihsinfo.org.
Earn Continuing
Education Credit
The International Institute for Hearing
Instruments Studies (IIHIS), the educational division of IHS, has assigned the
following continuing education credits
to the convention seminars.
Tax Deductions
Treasury regulations permit an income
tax deduction for educational expenses
(registration fees and cost of travel,
meals and lodging) undertaken to maintain and improve professional skills.
Consult your tax advisor for details.
•Regular Seminars: 2 hours each
•General Session Seminar: 1.5 hours
•Pre-convention Seminar: 4 hours
Superior Seminars
This year’s seminars are a clear reflection of our long-standing reputation for educational excellence.
Choose from a variety of topics to customize the program to your particular needs.
(See the Schedule of Events for days and times.)
Learn or Burn
Advanced education and training should
be a high priority for the individual healthcare practitioner as well as the hearing
healthcare profession at large. This plenary session focuses on the importance
of expanding your knowledge and skill
base and demonstrates why a commitment to building your professional credentials is critical for survival and success
in today’s climate.
Panel includes all members of the Inter‑
national Institute for Hearing Instru‑
ments Studies and the President of the
National Board for Certification in Hear‑
ing Instrument Sciences.
Basic Masking:
Explanation and Procedure
The proper use of masking is essential in
hearing testing if accurate hearing thresh
olds, appropriate medical referrals and
correct fitting are to result. This presentation illustrates when masking should be
used, what type of masking is recommended, and more.
Wayne Staab, PhD—President
Dr. Wayne J. Staab & Associates
Best Practices in
Cerumen Management
Presents an explanation of the outer ear
structure as well as the five basic methods
utilized in removal of ear wax. Also addresses the importance of not practicing cerumen management unless professional liability insurance is current.
Alan Lowell, BC-HIS, ACA—President
Alan Lowell Seminars, Inc.
and Luis Valdes, MD, BC-HIS
Hearing Healthcare Practitioner
When Listening Environments
Collide with Digital Technology
Defines some of the real-world listening
environment problems and examines why
working parameters of the modern digital
hearing aid don’t always match the patient’s needs. Reviews hearing assistive
technologies and BlueTooth communication devices and how they can be interfaced with digital hearing aids.
Jay Thurman, BC-HIS—Owner
Hearing Resources
The Perception of Sound
Psychoacoustic (subjective) experiences
are the only true indications of how the
overall hearing mechanism responds to
sound. This presentation shows that many
current hearing tests and hearing aid fittings are better understood when considering both the objective and subjective
aspects of sound.
Wayne Staab, PhD—President
Dr. Wayne J. Staab & Associates
Compression, Directional
Microphones & Digital
Noise Reduction
Hearing aids today have a two-fold task:
to improve audibility and increase signalto-noise ratio. This session covers the
many aspects of compression in hearing
aids, followed by a discussion of directional microphones and digital noise reduction technologies.
Ted Venema, PhD—
HIS Program Coordinator
Conestoga College
Hearing Healthcare
and the Age Boom
Hearing healthcare professionals will need
to evaluate and plan how best to provide
for the profoundly-influential Baby Boom
generation. This seminar “crystal balls” a
future that will be significantly impacted
by our exploding age boom.
Douglas Lewis, PhD—President
Excalibur Business Consultants
Beyond Audiometrics: Building a
“Tool Box” for Fitting Success
Hearing instrument fitting can be greatly
enhanced by implementing a set of tools
beyond the conventional tests most often
used. Maximize your fitting effectiveness
by utilizing these tools to target the different communication styles and needs of
your patients.
Roxann Bonta—
Hearing Instrument Specialist
Counseling Adjustments
for Advanced Technology
Needs assessment profiles are increasingly important in fitting hearing aids.
This seminar reviews several question-
naires available for office use. Discover
how technological innovations affect traditional hearing aid counseling methods.
Joel Mynders, BC-HIS—
Hearing Instrument Specialist
A.P. Mynders and Associates
Top Ten Reasons
for Hearing Aid Delight
Outlines the Hearing Industries Association’s research into the unparalleled advances in device technology and the professional practice. Discusses elements of
the process that “delighted” consumers
for successful use of hearing aids in their
journey to better hearing.
Carole Rogin—Executive Director
Hearing Industries Association
Common Clinical Encounters
Describes ten commonly misunderstood
clinical phenomena and explains how
this knowledge can be applied to counseling patients and selecting appropriate
amplification for optimal patient outcome
management.
Ted Venema, PhD—
HIS Program Coordinator
Conestoga College
Psychology of Changing Attitudes,
Beliefs, and Expectations
Focuses on the “how-to” of changing attitudes, beliefs, and expectations. Offers
practical methods to combat patients’ reluctance to acknowledge a hearing problem, misconceptions about the help a
hearing aid can provide, and overall resistance to using a hearing device.
Russell Jones, BC-HIS—Owner
Russell Hearing Aids
Speech Mapping
Demonstrates how quick and easy it is to
use speech mapping to validate fittings for
increased patient satisfaction and fewer
returns. Also includes simple methods to
check functionality of the high-end features on digital instruments.
Chris Stokes-Rees—Technical Specialist
Audioscan/Etymonic Design
QUESTIONS? CALL 734.522.7200
17
Fast, Convenient Registration
Enrollment is easy by phone, fax, mail, or online. Choose the package best suited for you and take advantage
of our early-bird discounts!
PREMIER PACKAGE
Includes everything but
pre‑convention seminar.
Through July 31
Member: $359
Non-member: $419
Starting August 1
Member: $409
Non-member: $469
THURSDAY ONLY PACKAGE
Includes everything on Thursday.
Through July 31
Member and non-member: $150
Starting August 1
FRIDAY ONLY PACKAGE
EVENTS PACKAGE
Includes everything but seminars.
Through July 31
Member: $259
Non-member: $319
Starting August 1
Member: $309
Non-member: $369
Includes everything on Friday.
Through July 31
Starting August 1
Cancellations and Refunds
IHS must be notified of your cancellation
in writing. All cancellations received will
be subject to the following schedule:
On or before August 24:
Refund less $45 administration fee
After August 24 but on or before
October 14:
Refund less $75 administration fee
After October 14 or no-show:
No refund
EXHIBIT HALL ONLY PACKAGE
Includes admission to the Exhibit Hall
on Friday and Saturday.
Through July 31
Starting August 1
2009 Registration Form
Please use one form per person. Photocopy this form for additional registrants.
Mail or fax registration form with payment to: International Hearing Society • 16880 Middlebelt Rd., Ste. 4 • Livonia, MI 48154 • F: 734.522.0200
Select your package option(s)
NAME (PLEASE PRINT)
THROUGH JULY 31 STARTING AUG. 1
PREMIER
MEMBER. ........................................ $359. ................... $409.................... $
STREET ADDRESS
NON-MEMBER............................... $419..................... $469.................... $
CITY, STATE
EVENTS
MEMBER. ........................................ $259..................... $309.................... $
COUNTRY
PHONE
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
NON-MEMBER............................... $319..................... $369.................... $
THURSDAY ONLY
FAX
MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER..... $150..................... $175. ................... $
EMAIL
M Check enclosed, payable to International Hearing Society
M MasterCard
M Visa
FRIDAY ONLY
MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER..... $150..................... $175. ................... $
EXHIBIT HALL ONLY
CARD NUMBER
EXP. DATE
OPTIONAL PRE-CONVENTION SEMINAR
SIGNATURE
Note: Golf registration is by phone only to Susan Stewart
at 734.522.7200.
IHS reserves the right to use any photographs taken during the course
of the convention in an IHS publication, brochure, or website.
18
MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER..... $75....................... $95...................... $
MEMBER. ........................................ $59....................... $69...................... $
NON-MEMBER............................... $79....................... $89...................... $
TOTAL AMOUNT $
PROFESSIONAL PLATFORM
Using a Patient-Centered Approach
to Professionalize Your Office
By Granville Brady, AuD
Professional Platform provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals to share their opinions and perspective
with peers. IHS does not necessarily endorse, approve, concur with or otherwise advocate material that appears here.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
A
patient recently came to my office by way of a
third-party provider. She had been referred to a
competitor who has a storefront hearing aid/optical business. According to the patient, “The place was dirty
and cluttered. I wouldn’t buy anything from them and I
walked out.” She was then referred to an upscale audiology
practice. She said, “He started to take an impression of my
ear before I understood what I was going to get. His explanation was way too technical for me. I walked out of there
too.” This is a 60-something woman who holds down two
jobs in retail. In other words, she is a sharp cookie who
knew what a professional practice should look like.
Office Appearance
Professionalizing the hearing aid or audiology office requires an objective approach that covers all aspects of the
practice. Let’s start with seeing things through the patient’s
eyes by taking a walk-through of the office. Is the exterior
signage fresh and readable? Is there easy access? When a
patient enters the office or storefront does it look and feel
like a pleasant place to be? Is the waiting room clean and
does the receptionist smile with a cheerful greeting?
These small but vital details might not seem important
but we know how much anxiety goes into making a decision to get hearing help. Any excuse, even a minor one, is
enough to drive the patient away.
Does the practice have a detailed intake sheet? Patients
are accustomed to filling out an intake form. All of the
basic information about the patient’s name, address, phone
number, who referred, brief history of hearing loss, medications taken, use of amplification, and, of course, signed
permission to have the testing and pay for products or services. In my state, a trial period is not mandated so I have
a statement on the intake form that a percentage of the
total charges will be retained if the patient returns the
hearing aid(s) within 30 days. Some states mandate that
information be printed on the sales agreement.
Patient Interview Process
The interview is the second important part of the process
after the first impression. Greet the patient with a friendly,
“Mrs. Jones? Hi, I’m Dr. Brady and I’ll be working with
you today.” In some cultures, extending the hand is taboo
so wait for the patient to give the cue. In other cultures a
bow or nodding of the head is appropriate. Do not assume
that all people react the same way to a greeting.
Once the patient is seated comfortably, the next question
is “How may I help you?” or you might simply say, “Tell
me about your hearing.” Refrain from saying “hearing
loss” since it hasn’t been determined if a loss exists yet. By
asking an open-ended question, it allows the patient to
state what he or she believes the problem is without coaching by the professional. This is important since the patient’s perception of a hearing problem is often more important than the actual results of testing. An example is
the young flight attendant who complains that she cannot
understand her coworkers in the plane. Her hearing is
within normal limits but the plane’s noise masks conversational speech. Perhaps there is an underlying auditory perceptual problem rather than a loss of acuity. The healthcare professional should ask about sudden hearing loss,
family history, tinnitus, aural fullness, history of noise exposure, and vertigo.
Examination
Until now, there has been distance between the patient and
the examiner. The first part of the actual examination is
otoscopy. It is important to inform the patient of what you
are going to do but never ask permission. This is especially
true when the patient is a child or when someone displays
anxiety. “Is it OK if I look in your ear?” may be met with
a resounding “NO.” You’ve dealt a hand that cannot be
Brady owns a private audiology–hearing aid dispensing practice in New Jersey. Correspondence: [email protected].
19
PROFESSIONAL PLATFORM
taken back. When you ask a person’s permission and it is
denied, then you may have to go into a lengthy explanation
that results in more anxiety.
“I have to look in you ear to see if there is any blockage”
can evoke even more anxiety and result in a wasted visit. It
is better to tell the patient, “I’m going to use my light to
look in your ears, so hold still for a moment.” Now the
professional has control of the situation. For younger patients, I might say, “I’m going to take a picture of your
ear.” Note that the action quickly follows the informative
statement giving the patient little time to respond. If you
obtain a tympanogram, the instruction is, “I’m going to
take a picture of your ear. You may feel a little pressure.”
The rest of the examination in a sound booth is usually
routine except for patients with claustrophobia. Allowing
the door to be open or even having the patient sit outside
the booth is better than insisting that the test be done in a
sound booth.
Patient Communication
When and how much information do you give to a patient?
It is wise to complete the testing before giving any information. Once testing is completed, the examiner can show the
patient the results and explain what they mean. It is helpful
to relate the test findings to everyday situations. For example, the patient probably knows he has trouble understanding in groups. You need to explain in lay terms why this
occurs. “The background noise blocks your ability to understand speakers. This is because you don’t hear some of
the sounds and confuse what is being said.” Of course you
can relate the information back to the visual representation
on the audiogram.
Many patients will ask what can be done and this is the
professional’s opening for recommending amplification.
Patients do not like being pressured into buying hearing
aids. By the time testing is completed, you have a pretty
good idea of how the patient will react. If the hearing loss
is perceived to be very troublesome, acceptance of amplification is easier than for a person who is in denial and simply wants you to tell him/her all is well. Rather than talk
about technology, it is often better to discuss the effect of
the loss and how much improvement can be expected with
amplification. Patients are looking for help and the hearing
aids may be a small part of the helping process. It is the
hearing instrument specialist’s and audiologist’s skill and
professionalism that take over at this point. Describe what
the effects of the loss are, how embarrassing it is not to
hear, and the risks for the patient who is working not to
hear his/her supervisor, etc.
Next is the issue of what treatment to use. Conventional
sales training suggests using a features-advantages-benefits
approach whereby the specialist demonstrates and discusses the features of each type of hearing aid, advantages
to the patient, and benefits of amplification. Using a goodbetter-best dichotomy is a sales tool to direct the customer
to select the most costly product. There is nothing wrong
with this approach when selling a product. However, the
professional patient-centered approach should focus on the
20
best solution to the problem. Of course price is important,
but asking a patient to select his/her amplification system
based on price alone is akin to asking a cardiac case to select the best pacemaker. Patients may be Internet savvy,
but they do not have the expertise to make an informed
choice about the array of circuits, channels, and programs
available in advanced hearing aid technology. Therefore,
the patient needs to be informed and guided into making
the best decision. Here is where too much information can
be dangerous.
How can a 16-channel, 6-program instrument with Blue
tooth and iPod capabilities be explained to a patient who
has trouble using a DVD player? This dilemma confronts
many of us daily. By overexplaining the features of hearing
instruments in technical jargon, the specialist overlooks the
real issue, which is to provide the best correction possible.
In essence, the features of the hearing aids should be no
more obvious to a patient than the advanced technology in
an automobile. Hearing instruments are designed to provide effortless hearing without burdening the patient with
the nuances of the instrumentation. If the hearing instrument specialist or audiologist overwhelms the patient with
his/her knowledge of technology, it is at the cost of providing the patient with the help that is needed. By now the patient should assume you know what you’re talking about;
you need not overwhelm them with technical jargon.
Hearing Aid Selection
Once rapport is established, the hearing instrument specialist ought to be able to assist the patient in making a selection of a hearing aid model that ensures the best benefit
for the loss, as well as accommodating the patient’s cosmetic needs. Never sacrifice performance for cosmetics. A
90-year-old with essential tremor asked me the other day
why I selected full shell hearing aids that were so big. I responded that he could not handle anything smaller. After a
moment of reflection, the wise patient agreed that functionality was more important than cosmetics.
Conclusion
Skeptical readers might question how a consultative
patient-centered approach would work with neophyte specialists who are eager to demonstrate their technical
knowledge. While the mature clinician feels comfortable in
his or her own skin, less experienced specialists are often
reluctant to develop a more personalized professional approach with the patient. In my office, a young associate
doctor of audiology half my age and from a non-western
culture easily adapted to these techniques. The issue of
professionalism became moot when she realized that patients were as warm and accepting to her as she was to
them. Of course, clinical skill is important, which is why I
insisted that she have the three C’s: Concern, Competence,
and Compassion. If the office practices the three C’s, pre
sents a clean, well-kept environment that is efficient, and
refrains from pressure sales in favor of a patient-centered
approach, the business will reap the benefits. THP
What’s On
Your Mind?
We’d like to know. We welcome your
submission of articles for publication
in The Hearing Professional. If you have
something to say, this is the place to
say it—your opportunity to share with
practitioners throughout the hearing
healthcare field.
As long as the topic is relevant
to the hearing health industry
or general business management,
the specific nature of the subject
matter is entirely up to you.
Feel free to write from a very
personal perspective or from a broad
industry overview.
So get creative. And don’t worry
about your writing skills or the
“roughness” of the draft. The job
of our editors is to make you and your
article look good.
Email a Word document to Autumn
Kovach at [email protected].
Length should be approximately
500–1,000 words. Graphics, including
photos, charts, diagrams, etc. that
are not incorporated into the Word
document, should also be sent
electronically, if possible.
7,5('2):($5,1*
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DQGQRFRPPLWPHQWZLOOEHDVVXPHGRULPSOLHG
All submissions will be considered
for publication, but not all are
guaranteed for acceptance. All copy
is subject to editing at our discretion.
We will make every effort to allow
your review of edited copy prior to
publication, but cannot guarantee it.
Photos are welcome and will be
returned. Hard copy documents and
CDs will not be returned.
21
SOUNDBYTES
Soundbytes
Hearing Aid Tax Credit
Reintroduced
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has recently reintroduced the
Hearing Aid Tax Credit legislation in the Senate (S 1019),
which would expand coverage to people of all ages who
have hearing loss. The Hearing Aid Tax Credit legislation in
the House (HR 1646), was introduced in March by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), and has already garnered 70 co-sponsors—11 of whom are members of the
House Ways and Means Committee. The Hearing Aid Tax
Credit would provide assistance to many of the 32 million
people who need hearing aids to treat their hearing loss. If
enacted, S 1019 would provide a $500 tax credit per hearing
aid every five years for all people purchasing a hearing aid.
The House legislation would provide the same credit for
children and people age 55 and older.
According to Hearing Industries Association Chairman
Jerry Ruzicka, “With the reintroduction of the Senate bill,
the Hearing Aid Tax Credit coalition has come closer to finally addressing the need for financial assistance for people
who need hearing aids.” The hearing health community has formed a coalition to
focus Congressional attention on the importance of hearing
health and the burdens associated with the lack of financial
assistance for treatment. IHS is part of this coalition. Others include the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss Association of
America, Academy of Doctors of Audiology, American
Academy of Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and Hearing Industries Association.
IHS Welcomes New Staff Member
Kathleen Mennillo has recently joined the
IHS staff as education manager. She is responsible for all the Society’s educational
programming and oversees both the International Institute for Hearing Instruments
Studies and the International Licensing
Exam Item Writers Committees.
Mennillo comes to the position with a great deal of nonprofit experience, with an emphasis on education and new
product development. She has a master’s degree in business
administration from Davenport University.
“I feel confident that my experience in leading teams and
developing business plans for educational products, along
with launching and developing new products, will help me
to be successful at IHS. But most of all, my vast experience
in working with members will most likely be my strongest
skill set.”
22
IHS Executive Director Cindy Helms said, “We are
tremendously pleased to have Kathleen in this key role.
She has the ideal combination of talent, expertise, and
initiative to upgrade and expand the range of our educational offerings. I am confident that our education department will enjoy extraordinary growth under her excellent leadership.”
Mennillo replaces Phyllis Wilson who resigned to pursue
other interests after 45 years with IHS. The Society appreciates Wilson’s many years of dedicated service and we
know that her many friends throughout the industry join
us in wishing her the best.
IHS Attends Hearing on the Hill
The Hearing Industries Association (HIA) hosted Hearing
on the Hill in Washington DC on May 13. This is a biennial event to help educate government leaders and staff on
the importance of hearing healthcare. This year’s spotlight was on the Hearing Aid Tax Credit legislation (HR
1646 and S 1019). IHS was represented by President Chris
Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA, and Washington Counsel
Karen Sealander.
HIA member CEOs and senior executives met with 81
Congressional offices to reinforce support for the Hearing
Aid Tax Credit. At the day’s conclusion Gustafson and
Dr. Therese Walden of the American Academy of Audiology provided hearing screenings for members of Congress
and their staff.
Gustafson expanded his advocacy efforts to schedule
private meetings with several key congressional leaders to
further support the tax credit bill and promote for better
hearing overall.
Beltone’s President’s Cup Award
Winners Announced
Beltone presented its President’s Cup Award to Terri ZahnBurnam and Russell Burnam, ACA, at its 2009 national
meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
“We’re proud to receive the President’s Cup Award and
glad to know that Beltone recognizes the value we place in
our customers and the integrity of our practice,” said Burnam. “We could not have achieved this honor without the
valuable support and dedication of our field partners and
hearing care providers who play such an integral role in
the communities we serve.”
Since 1958 this award is given annually to hearing care
practitioners who demonstrate exceptional patient care, community involvement, and professional business practices. THP
CHAPTER TRACK
2009 IHS Chapter Meetings
MEETING
DATE
LOCATION
CONTACT
Alabama/Georgia Society for
Hearing Healthcare Providers
July 23–26
Cherokee, NC
Ralph Jackson
229.432.0053
[email protected]
Hearing Healthcare Providers
of Arizona
July 17–18
Glendale, AZ
Robert Baber, BC-HIS
623.582.6699
[email protected]
Arkansas Hearing Aid Society
July 24–25
Little Rock, AR
LeAnn Jackson, CCCA
501.268.4321
[email protected]
Colorado Hearing Society
June 25–27
Colorado Springs, CO
303.665.0454
[email protected]
Florida Society of Hearing
Healthcare Professionals
July 17–19
Clearwater Beach, FL
Neil Waingrow, BC-HIS
954.553.4045
[email protected]
Iowa Hearing Association
September 11–12
West Des Moines, IA
Bev Thomas
515.440.6057
[email protected]
Minnesota Hearing Healthcare
Providers
September 18–19
Bloomington, MN
Gregory Wales, BC-HIS
320.219.2379
[email protected]
Hearing Healthcare Alliance
of New York
June 24–26
Saratoga Springs, NY
Fred Goossen, BC-HIS
585.419.9702
[email protected]
Oregon Hearing Society
June 26–28
Seaside, OR
Rosalind Sinclair-Sjue, BC-HIS
360.260.2898
[email protected]
Texas Hearing Aid Association
June 18–20
Houston, TX
Scott Pospisil
512.477.1701
[email protected]
If you have an upcoming chapter meeting that you’d like listed in the above roster,
please contact IHS headquarters at 734.522.7200.
23
Spread the Word About IHS Membership
Help strengthen the Society by encouraging membership growth.
This application form can be submitted to IHS headquarters or individuals can join online
at the IHS website where they’ll find detailed information on the benefits of membership.
 $275—Professional
(Individuals engaged in the practice of testing human hearing and selecting, fitting,
counseling patients and dispensing hearing instruments)
 $150—Associate/Affiliate (Individuals such as office staff, receptionists, or any other support staff, educators,
physicians, counselors or those employed by a hearing industry manufacturer or supplier)
 $135—Student
(Individuals pursuing an academic or vocationally-based program of study in the practice
of hearing instrument sciences or other related professions)
GENERAL INFORMATION
NAME (Last, First, Middle):
SS/SI Number:
Company Name:
Date of Birth:
/ /
Street Address:
Business Phone:
Business Fax:
City:
State/Province:
Home Address:
City:
Country:
Zip/Postal Code:
Home Phone:
State/Province:
Email:
Country:
Zip/Postal Code:
 Male  Female
PROFESSIONAL/EDUCATION INFORMATION
What year did you begin dispensing hearing instruments?
Credentials:  BC-HIS (Certificate No.)
 CCCA (Certificate No.)
Education Level:  High School  College/Trade (Degree)  Post-Graduate (Degree)
PAYMENT METHOD
Visa or MasterCard #:
Check #:
Exp. Date:
Amount:
Signature:
I agree to abide by the bylaws and code of ethical practices as established by the International Hearing Society.
Signature/Title:
Date:
International Hearing Society
16880 Middlebelt Rd., Ste. 4 • Livonia, MI 48154 • phone 734.522.7200 • fax 734.522.0200
www.ihsinfo.org
24
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEARING INSTRUMENTS STUDIES
IIHIS Approved Courses
This is a partial list of approved courses. For a complete roster, contact IIHIS at 734.522.7200.
Contact individual sponsors for locations and for program dates
where not specified.
Sponsor:
Arkansas Hearing Aid Society
Description: Arkansas Hearing Society Annual Seminar
(12 hours)
Contact:
Gary Pearson, ACA, 870.735.0454
Date:
July 24-25, 2009
Sponsor:
Phonak
Description: Full Life Experience; Digital Wireless
Accessories; Hands-On Training; Benefits
and Case Studies (10 hours)
Contact:
Allie Wright, 630.821.5034
Sponsor:
Beltone Electronics
Description: Intro and Safety; Hearing Aid Shell Repair;
Building Up the Canal; Replacing the Battery
Door; Open Fittings (8 hours)
Contact:
Bernadette Londberg, 847.832.3300
Sponsor:
Rexton
Description: Latest Advances in Hearing Instrument
Technology; Receiver-in-the Ear Technology;
Selection; Automatic Features (3 hours)
Contact:
Carla Larson, 800.876.1141
Sponsor:
Electone
Description: Open Fittings; Earmold Acoustics and Effect
of Earmold and Shell Technology; Effective
Programming (7 hours)
Contact:
Eunice Straw, 800.432.7483
Sponsor:
Siemens
Description: Digital Technology Overview; Hands-On
Sessions with Fitting Software (2 hours)
Contact:
Lisa Perhacs, 800.766.4500
Sponsor:
Florida Society of Hearing
Healthcare Professionals
Description: HIV/Aids; Medical Records Errors;
Wax Removal (10 hours)
Contact:
Randy Ellsworth, BC-HIS, 352.394.1659
Date:
July 16-19, 2009
Sponsor:
GN ReSound
Description: ReSound Legacy; Troubleshooting; Case
Studies; Sample Marketing Materials (1 hour)
Contact:
Tobi Ferrence, 800.248.4327
Sponsor:
Sonic Innovations
Description: Open Fit Solutions; Design and Evaluation;
Software Overview; Fitting Adjustments
Based on Patient Issues (3 hours)
Contact:
Merritt Bahl, 402.926.9179
Sponsor:
Starkey Laboratories
Description: Troubleshooting; Live Demonstrations;
Hands-On Cases; Office Case Studies
(6 hours)
Contact:
Molly Holschuh, 952.947.4509
Sponsor:
Interton
Description: Product Overview; Hearing Aid Options;
Autofit; Selection and Fitting (1 hour)
Contact:
April Bennett, 952.698.2168
Sponsor:
Unitron
Description: Development of the 360 Super Power;
Adaptive Features; Additional Features;
Noise Reduction; New Software (2 hours)
Contact:
Donna Haider, 800.888.8882
Sponsor:
Oticon
Description: Performance and Design; Decision Making;
Patient Adaptation; New Software (6 hours)
Contact:
Dena Abood, 800.526.3921
Sponsor:
Widex Hearing Aid Company
Description: New Product Features; Case Studies
(2 hours)
Contact:
Francis Kuk, PhD, 630.245.0025
Accreditation of educational courses for continuing education credit by the International Institute
for Hearing Instruments Studies does not imply endorsement of a specific program or procedure.
25
CLASSIFIEDS
EDUCATION
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
PREPARE FOR YOUR NBC-HIS OR
STATE LICENSING EXAM—Revised
and recorded on-site in 2006 & 2007,
our Professional Seminars provide the
latest updated information. PowerPoint
slides, study materials and sample exams
included. Since 1977, we have helped over
4,500+ hearing healthcare professionals
earn their credentials and are recognized as
the industry’s leading resource in preparation for competency exams. State Licensing
DVD $495.00, NBC-HIS DVD $395.00.
Also, brand new for beginners with no experience, Video Tutorial for New Dispensers
$265.00. 20% discount for ordering all three
programs, 10% discount for ordering any
two programs. To order, please go online at
www.alanlowellseminars.com or call 1.800.
749.4644. Visa/MC/AMEX/Check. Free
shipping 2-day DHL.
Seeking a self motivated, hard working and honest Regional Manager and
Audiologist or licensed Hearing Instruments Specialist to join my growing
organization in The East Bay San Francisco
area. My name is Rick Frasier and I run
some of the most successful Miracle-Ear
Franchises in the country. I have offices located in nine different states—NY, MA,
CA, IN, KY, IA, WA, NE and CT. Run the
business as if it is your own and get support from marketing, human resources
and accounting from our corporate headquarters. Benefits include 401k and the
ability to earn $80k + per year. If you are
a team player and a Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist or Audiologist and you
feel it is time to take up a new and rewarding challenge where your efforts truly
make a difference, then send me your résumé today! Please fax résumé to Rick
Frasier: 518.736.2285, or email carlcase@
frasierenterprises.com.
MISCELLANEOUS
Would You Like to Pay Less for
World-Class Hearing Aids? Then
Join Our Hearing Aid Buyer’s Club!
Order direct from the manufacturer
everything from Custom to BTE to Open
Fits! Free Membership! No minimum
commitment! No middleman! No obligation! It takes five minutes to join! Keep
more profit in your pocket! Call Toll Free
866.480.1220 to join today!
+HDULQJ&DUH&HQWHUV
67,//*52:,1*
$=&7)/*$,/,1.<0$011&
1+2+253$6&7;9$97:$:,
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Hearing Aid Center with multiple Nevada
locations hiring licensed Hearing Aid Professional/Audiologist. Benefits available,
competitive wage. Email résumé to
hearing[email protected].
Apply online at www.avada.com, or fax
your letter of interest and resume to
502-253-9804, referencing ad 210.
Email classified ad copy to [email protected] or fax to 734.522.0200. The ad rate is $.99 per
regular word and $1.15 per boldface or all-capped word, with a minimum rate of $50.00. There is an
additional charge of $20 for boxed ads. For additional information call 734.522.7200.
You Can Make a Difference!
Help fund the ongoing fight for your rights before governmental bodies.
Contribute to the
IHS Advocacy Alliance
and do your part to protect the profession and the hearing impaired you serve.
It’s your future and theirs.
Please accept my contribution to the IHS Advocacy Alliance.
Circle amount:
Name:
$1,000
Company:
M Check attached M Cash attached
Address:
M Charge my: M Visa
City/State/Zip:
Phone:
$500
$250
$100
Other $
M MasterCard
Account Number:
Email:
Expiration Date:
International Hearing Society • 16880 Middlebelt Road, Suite 4 • Livonia, MI 48154
P: 734.522.7200 • F: 734.522.0200 • www.ihsinfo.org
28

April—May—June - International Hearing Society

Transcription

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