Interview with John Schuneman Audiologist
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Topic: Personal Clinical Perspective - SeboTek PAC
AO/Beck: Hi John. Thanks for your time today. Just to get everyone on the same page, let's start with your education and professional experience. I know you've been at this a little while now!
Schuneman: OK, sure. After graduating from Michigan State University in East Lansing with a degree in Speech Pathology in 1956, I took a position in the Saint Joseph, Michigan public schools as a speech therapist. In 1960, I received a masters' degree in speech and hearing from Western Michigan University. Two years later I changed fields by becoming a regional audiologist for the Michigan Department of Public Health in the Wayne County area. I gained a lot of valuable experience working with ENT doctors at otology clinics that were sponsored by the state health department. Nine years later, I decided to test the waters of private practice. After struggling to survive for six years, I closed the doors to join a group of physicians at Dearborn Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic.
AO/Beck: Were you dispensing hearing aids when you were at the Department of Public Health?
Schuneman: When I was at the Department of Public Health in Lansing, it was against the ASHA rules to dispense hearing aids. However, I felt it was something that audiologists should be doing. When I did go into the private dispensing business I didn't even bother to apply for certification because I knew I would be turned down. When I went into the dispensing field I was promptly branded a traitor, practically tarred and feathered, and sent out of town. That was 1971. I finally closed the doors of my office in 1977. It was a very lonely time for me.
AO/Beck: So you started your own private practice dispensing office?
Schuneman: Yes. I did, and I thought everyone would be breaking down my door, but that didn't happen and I wasn't really prepared to weather the storm with the appropriate financial backing. Had I bought into an existing business, I might have had a better chance. After that, I joined the Dearborn Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic and dispensed from there. In 1991, I joined the ENT group from Toledo Clinic in Toledo, Ohio and I've been there ever since. Our practice is called Toledo Audiology, a division Toledo ENT Inc.
AO/Beck: Very good John. I'd like to ask you, what is it about the SeboTek hearing aid that you find interesting and useful?
Schuneman: Doug, I have a high frequency loss. My hearing is normal through 2000, and then it drops to 45 at 3000 and stays there all the way out to 8000. Last year at ADA in Palm Springs, I was going by the SeboTek display, and Wayne Morris said, "Would you like to listen to this product?" I said, "Sure." I immediately heard much better and I could see the advantage of having the receiver unit deep in my ear canal. It took me about five days to get used to wearing it that deep in my canal. Now it doesn't bother me at all. I've tried deep canal CICs, and other hearing aids too, but I never could get past the occlusion effect. I have no occlusion effect at all with the SeboTek.
AO/Beck: What about sound quality?
Schuneman: The sound quality is great. We've known for a long time that the eardrum is a very poor transducer of high frequency energy when the ear canal is occluded. That's why we started using open canal fittings in the late 60's. I even presented a paper at the Otolaryngology meeting in Dallas, Texas, in 1973 entitled, "Open Canal Amplification."
AO/Beck: Who are the ideal candidates for this product?
Schuneman: People that are dissatisfied with the sound quality of their own voice while wearing amplification. Another ideal patient group is like the lady I fit this afternoon. She just did not want to have anything in her ear. We were going to fit her with a CIC, but after she tried it, she just didn't want anything to do with it. When I showed her the SeboTek, she tried it and wouldn't let me take it off! I don't want to use the word "invisible," but it's pretty darn hard to see, and that's what she wanted. I've been wearing mine for several months and no one knew I had it on. I went out to dinner with my wife right after I first started wearing it and she didn't realize it was there. Doug, I rarely give testimonials, but I am sold on this product.
AO/Beck: How many of these have you dispensed?
Schuneman: I would say about eight to ten, but we have another six on queue. I mean it just happened all of a sudden, right out of the blue. It's an ideal product for many reasons; price, directionality, sound quality, no feedback, no occlusion. I really believe in the PAC.
AO/Beck: Do you use all four programs?
Schuneman: Yes, I really do. It has four programs and generally, I make program 1 mute, so when you put it on it's not squeaking all over the place. Program 2 is usually for omni directional, and then you can make program 3 directional, and program 4 can be for a cell phone or whatever you feel is appropriate.
AO/Beck: You mentioned a little earlier that people like it because it is almost invisible?
Schuneman: I like the small size of the PAC. People really marvel at how small it is, particularly when they wear it. I like the idea that you can disconnect the speaker link and you can go from right to left or you can go for the bigger or smaller tip size, or you can replace the speaker link if you have a problem. The key to the whole thing is they have the receiver down deep in the canal where it belongs.
AO/Beck: What about programming the PAC?
Schuneman: You have to work with the software a little bit to familiarize yourself with the program. It's not like sitting down and working with the other manufacturers. SeboTek has a little different approach and you need to be trained, or work with it before you sit down in front of a patient.
AO/Beck: Thanks John. It really has been fun speaking to you about these issues. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and time.
Schuneman: It's a pleasure speaking with you too, Doug.
Click here to visit the Sebotek website.
Schuneman: OK, sure. After graduating from Michigan State University in East Lansing with a degree in Speech Pathology in 1956, I took a position in the Saint Joseph, Michigan public schools as a speech therapist. In 1960, I received a masters' degree in speech and hearing from Western Michigan University. Two years later I changed fields by becoming a regional audiologist for the Michigan Department of Public Health in the Wayne County area. I gained a lot of valuable experience working with ENT doctors at otology clinics that were sponsored by the state health department. Nine years later, I decided to test the waters of private practice. After struggling to survive for six years, I closed the doors to join a group of physicians at Dearborn Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic.
AO/Beck: Were you dispensing hearing aids when you were at the Department of Public Health?
Schuneman: When I was at the Department of Public Health in Lansing, it was against the ASHA rules to dispense hearing aids. However, I felt it was something that audiologists should be doing. When I did go into the private dispensing business I didn't even bother to apply for certification because I knew I would be turned down. When I went into the dispensing field I was promptly branded a traitor, practically tarred and feathered, and sent out of town. That was 1971. I finally closed the doors of my office in 1977. It was a very lonely time for me.
AO/Beck: So you started your own private practice dispensing office?
Schuneman: Yes. I did, and I thought everyone would be breaking down my door, but that didn't happen and I wasn't really prepared to weather the storm with the appropriate financial backing. Had I bought into an existing business, I might have had a better chance. After that, I joined the Dearborn Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic and dispensed from there. In 1991, I joined the ENT group from Toledo Clinic in Toledo, Ohio and I've been there ever since. Our practice is called Toledo Audiology, a division Toledo ENT Inc.
AO/Beck: Very good John. I'd like to ask you, what is it about the SeboTek hearing aid that you find interesting and useful?
Schuneman: Doug, I have a high frequency loss. My hearing is normal through 2000, and then it drops to 45 at 3000 and stays there all the way out to 8000. Last year at ADA in Palm Springs, I was going by the SeboTek display, and Wayne Morris said, "Would you like to listen to this product?" I said, "Sure." I immediately heard much better and I could see the advantage of having the receiver unit deep in my ear canal. It took me about five days to get used to wearing it that deep in my canal. Now it doesn't bother me at all. I've tried deep canal CICs, and other hearing aids too, but I never could get past the occlusion effect. I have no occlusion effect at all with the SeboTek.
AO/Beck: What about sound quality?
Schuneman: The sound quality is great. We've known for a long time that the eardrum is a very poor transducer of high frequency energy when the ear canal is occluded. That's why we started using open canal fittings in the late 60's. I even presented a paper at the Otolaryngology meeting in Dallas, Texas, in 1973 entitled, "Open Canal Amplification."
AO/Beck: Who are the ideal candidates for this product?
Schuneman: People that are dissatisfied with the sound quality of their own voice while wearing amplification. Another ideal patient group is like the lady I fit this afternoon. She just did not want to have anything in her ear. We were going to fit her with a CIC, but after she tried it, she just didn't want anything to do with it. When I showed her the SeboTek, she tried it and wouldn't let me take it off! I don't want to use the word "invisible," but it's pretty darn hard to see, and that's what she wanted. I've been wearing mine for several months and no one knew I had it on. I went out to dinner with my wife right after I first started wearing it and she didn't realize it was there. Doug, I rarely give testimonials, but I am sold on this product.
AO/Beck: How many of these have you dispensed?
Schuneman: I would say about eight to ten, but we have another six on queue. I mean it just happened all of a sudden, right out of the blue. It's an ideal product for many reasons; price, directionality, sound quality, no feedback, no occlusion. I really believe in the PAC.
AO/Beck: Do you use all four programs?
Schuneman: Yes, I really do. It has four programs and generally, I make program 1 mute, so when you put it on it's not squeaking all over the place. Program 2 is usually for omni directional, and then you can make program 3 directional, and program 4 can be for a cell phone or whatever you feel is appropriate.
AO/Beck: You mentioned a little earlier that people like it because it is almost invisible?
Schuneman: I like the small size of the PAC. People really marvel at how small it is, particularly when they wear it. I like the idea that you can disconnect the speaker link and you can go from right to left or you can go for the bigger or smaller tip size, or you can replace the speaker link if you have a problem. The key to the whole thing is they have the receiver down deep in the canal where it belongs.
AO/Beck: What about programming the PAC?
Schuneman: You have to work with the software a little bit to familiarize yourself with the program. It's not like sitting down and working with the other manufacturers. SeboTek has a little different approach and you need to be trained, or work with it before you sit down in front of a patient.
AO/Beck: Thanks John. It really has been fun speaking to you about these issues. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and time.
Schuneman: It's a pleasure speaking with you too, Doug.
Click here to visit the Sebotek website.
