Hearing Aid Comparison: Custom, Instant, Disposable

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Custom Fit vs Instant Fit vs Disposable Hearing Aid Comparison

Hearing Professionals have vast experience fitting custom molded, traditional hearing aids but have limited experience with instant fit and disposable aids. Many audiologists are asking the question ''what role should these new devices play in my practice?'' Each product and technology can play a different role in your practice.

Viewpoint Summary:

Basic Analog custom aids will play a diminishing role for new users and as replacement aids for experienced users. Product quality limitations and poor practice profitability are key negative factors.

Programmable and Digital custom aids offer new users expensive and high-tech options, and serve as potential upgrade options for current hearing aid users who are willing and able to invest. Programmable and digital aids are the devices of choice for severe and profound hearing loss and for complex cases. High cost and lengthy fitting processes greatly limit non-user appeal - usage rates have actually decreased concurrent with the introduction of these devices.

Instant Fit aids can play a role in attracting new/non-users with mild hearing losses if the manufacturers and the practices invest heavily in advertising to attract potential patients.

Disposables (Songbird) remove many of the barriers which have prevented new/non-users from trying amplification in the past. Our significant ''direct to the consumer'' advertising combined with practitioner promotional efforts are attracting new/non-users (70% of Songbird leads are new/non-users). Our low cost and quick and convenient fitting process are successfully generating trial periods. Our sound quality, ease of use and $1/day economics are generating ongoing usage. Disposable hearing aids generate practice profits which exceed all product categories except for high-end digital aids, making them attractive replacement aids for current users who refuse to upgrade to high end aids. Finally, nursing home and assisted living residents who frequently misplace or break conventional aids may benefit from disposables.

Songbird's Mission Statement is ''Bringing Better Hearing to the World''. I hope the points outlined above give Hearing Professionals new insights and ideas which help us, as an industry, bring better hearing to the world.

BIO:
Fred Fritz joined Songbird Medical as President and CEO in December, 1997. He is a University of Illinois engineer and has a Harvard MBA. He began his career in consumer marketing management with the Quaker Oats Co. in 1974. He joined Schering Plough's Wesley Jessen in 1985 as VP Marketing and Sales and introduced Durasoft Colors (the ''brown eyes blue'' contact lens) in 1986. He was promoted to general manager of Schering's Over The Counter pharmaceutical business in 1988 and the podiatric products (Dr. Scholl, Lotrimin, Tinactin) business in 1990. He was President of Coleman North America from 1995 - 1997.