Interview with Del Bloem President, GN Otometrics North America (previously ICS and Madsen)
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Topic: Bsure™ Balance Assessment
AO/Beck: Hi, Del. Thanks for your time today. I know the readers are familiar with you from our previous interview, so if you don't mind, we'll just hyperlink to that at the end of this interview. However, I was hoping that today we could focus on the Bsure program? I know that's a new initiative, and I would like to learn more about it.
Bloem: Thanks Doug, that sounds like a good plan. Bsure is a comprehensive approach to balance assessment. As you know, we like to encompass a whole topic, through a broad spectrum of products and the education necessary to make those products work maximally, patient support materials, marketing materials, equipment training, ongoing customer support, and consultations with on-staff audiologists here. So in essence, Bsure is our solution set for balance assessment.
AO/Beck: So it's analogous to PediHear? In other words, what PediHear is to the diagnosis and management of children with hearing loss, which is a complete program, Bsure fills that role for balance disorders?
Bloem: That's right. It's our intention to make it analogous and as I mentioned, to offer solution sets. We have a website for interested people; it's www.bsure4balance.com.
AO/Beck: Is Bsure available currently, and are any of the courses available online?
Bloem: Yes, the whole program is up and running, and yes, we have courses online.
AO/Beck: Del, I think I understand the rationale behind offering balance-related courses online, but perhaps you can explain why that's important for GN Otometrics?
Bloem: Bsure is essentially an extension of the core strategy ICS followed over the years and is continuing now that it's part of GN Otometrics. Because the products we manufactured were not completely covered in most academic and clinical training programs, we always tried to offer the educational and theoretical component for the clinicians.
AO/Beck: Are any of the educational courses available for CEU's?
Bloem: Yes. You can order our online course, it's up and running too. We just have one course on caloric testing but it's our intention to have additional courses available soon.
AO/Beck: Is it free or is there a fee involved?
Bloem: There's a small fee, I think it's about twenty dollars.
AO/Beck: Del, appropriate, accurate and simple handouts are always an issue for balance-oriented practices. Do you have patient hand-outs available?
Bloem: We have a great patient-focused pamphlet that explains balance testing to the patient in patient-friendly terms. It lets them know what kind of testing they're going to be going through, why the tests are being done, what expectations they should have for them, and how these tests fit into the diagnostic process.
AO/Beck: Do you have these available in PDF's?
Bloem: Yes. In fact we can HYPERLINK to them here, https://www.bsure4balance.com/forpatients/forpatients.htm, and they're available as handouts in bulk for the printing costs through our office.
AO/Beck: What about marketing materials? How do you market these services for audiologists just getting involved with vestibular balance testing, diagnostics, and vestibular rehab?
Bloem: I think that's another unique aspect of Bsure. We provide variety of marketing materials, including a simple how to market your balance competency plan, as well as fill-in-the-blank press releases and letters to send to referring physicians. We also have sample reports for physicians, so again, it's a fairly comprehensive program.
AO/Beck: Is the website password protected?
Bloem: No, it is not password protected at this moment, but it will be in the future. There's a section in there called For Professionals that we would like to inhibit non-professionals from accessing. Things like CPT codes may not make good press or engender warm feelings from patients!
AO/Beck: And Del, for people interested in learning about the Bsure program they can click into the website www.bsure4balance.com , and please give us the toll free number too.
Bloem: 1-800-362-3736
AO/Beck: Thanks Del. Once again, it's been a pleasure working with you. Thanks for your time.
Bloem: Thank you too Doug. Always nice to chat with you.
***********************************************************************************
For more information on Del Bloem:
CLICK HERE for the FIRST Del Bloem Interview.
For more Information on Pedi-Hear, CLICK HERE.
For more information on GN Otometrics, CLICK HERE.
For more information on B-Sure, CLICK HERE.
Bloem: Thanks Doug, that sounds like a good plan. Bsure is a comprehensive approach to balance assessment. As you know, we like to encompass a whole topic, through a broad spectrum of products and the education necessary to make those products work maximally, patient support materials, marketing materials, equipment training, ongoing customer support, and consultations with on-staff audiologists here. So in essence, Bsure is our solution set for balance assessment.
AO/Beck: So it's analogous to PediHear? In other words, what PediHear is to the diagnosis and management of children with hearing loss, which is a complete program, Bsure fills that role for balance disorders?
Bloem: That's right. It's our intention to make it analogous and as I mentioned, to offer solution sets. We have a website for interested people; it's www.bsure4balance.com.
AO/Beck: Is Bsure available currently, and are any of the courses available online?
Bloem: Yes, the whole program is up and running, and yes, we have courses online.
AO/Beck: Del, I think I understand the rationale behind offering balance-related courses online, but perhaps you can explain why that's important for GN Otometrics?
Bloem: Bsure is essentially an extension of the core strategy ICS followed over the years and is continuing now that it's part of GN Otometrics. Because the products we manufactured were not completely covered in most academic and clinical training programs, we always tried to offer the educational and theoretical component for the clinicians.
AO/Beck: Are any of the educational courses available for CEU's?
Bloem: Yes. You can order our online course, it's up and running too. We just have one course on caloric testing but it's our intention to have additional courses available soon.
AO/Beck: Is it free or is there a fee involved?
Bloem: There's a small fee, I think it's about twenty dollars.
AO/Beck: Del, appropriate, accurate and simple handouts are always an issue for balance-oriented practices. Do you have patient hand-outs available?
Bloem: We have a great patient-focused pamphlet that explains balance testing to the patient in patient-friendly terms. It lets them know what kind of testing they're going to be going through, why the tests are being done, what expectations they should have for them, and how these tests fit into the diagnostic process.
AO/Beck: Do you have these available in PDF's?
Bloem: Yes. In fact we can HYPERLINK to them here, https://www.bsure4balance.com/forpatients/forpatients.htm, and they're available as handouts in bulk for the printing costs through our office.
AO/Beck: What about marketing materials? How do you market these services for audiologists just getting involved with vestibular balance testing, diagnostics, and vestibular rehab?
Bloem: I think that's another unique aspect of Bsure. We provide variety of marketing materials, including a simple how to market your balance competency plan, as well as fill-in-the-blank press releases and letters to send to referring physicians. We also have sample reports for physicians, so again, it's a fairly comprehensive program.
AO/Beck: Is the website password protected?
Bloem: No, it is not password protected at this moment, but it will be in the future. There's a section in there called For Professionals that we would like to inhibit non-professionals from accessing. Things like CPT codes may not make good press or engender warm feelings from patients!
AO/Beck: And Del, for people interested in learning about the Bsure program they can click into the website www.bsure4balance.com , and please give us the toll free number too.
Bloem: 1-800-362-3736
AO/Beck: Thanks Del. Once again, it's been a pleasure working with you. Thanks for your time.
Bloem: Thank you too Doug. Always nice to chat with you.
***********************************************************************************
For more information on Del Bloem:
CLICK HERE for the FIRST Del Bloem Interview.
For more Information on Pedi-Hear, CLICK HERE.
For more information on GN Otometrics, CLICK HERE.
For more information on B-Sure, CLICK HERE.
