Phonak Lyric - The World’s Only 100% Invisible Hearing Aid is Now More Attractive with Self-Replacement

AudiologyOnline: What are the benefits for patients with Lyric hearing?

Michelle Wiebke, AuD: The invisibility attracts people to Lyric – it’s the only 100% invisible hearing aid on the market. But while invisibility attracts many patients, they often cite the sound quality and hassle-free nature as the contributors to continued wear. Many patients say how normal they feel as they are not reminded daily of their hearing loss. Lyric provides 24/7 hearing with no batteries to change or charge. It’s also analog hearing, which is how our brain hears. With Lyric, it’s wear it and forget it – going about daily and nightly activities with that added sense of security that nothing will be missed. For those with tinnitus it also brings benefit as Lyric is proven to bring faster and greater relief for tinnitus patients than a daily wear device¹.

AudiologyOnline: What are the benefits for practices that offer Lyric?

Michelle Wiebke, AuD: For practices who provide Lyric, one benefit is the dependable recurring revenue stream. Lyric has shown a long-standing renewal rate (percentage of patients in subscription who renew their subscription) of 70 percent or greater. This consistent renewal rate allows practices to forecast their revenue stream based on their Lyric patient base. The Lyric revenue growth can be quite dramatic as the patient base grows. A second benefit is that 99% of Lyric wearers are extremely satisfied with their hearing care professional² which results in patient loyalty, which is increasingly important with the many options for acquiring hearing aids today. It also supports high-quality referrals to your clinic by satisfied patients. A third benefit is that Lyric is a practice differentiator, with less than 3% of hearing clinics having Lyric as part of their offering. It’s not in big box, it’s not over the counter. For those who really lead with Lyric in their practice, they easily become a destination provider for all hearing solutions, both extended wear and daily wear.

AudiologyOnline: What’s new with Lyric?

Michelle Wiebke, AuD: In April 2024, Sonova received FDA-clearance for Lyric Self-Replacement. With this clearance, experienced Lyric patients who would feel comfortable changing their Lyric devices every other time on their own may elect to do so with HCP-guidance. Lyric Self-Replacement is built around the hearing care professional as the HCP is instrumental in patient success with Lyric. Success with self-replacement in the clinic is driven by the HCP choosing the right patients for self-replacement as directed by the self-replacement candidacy form, incorporating self-replacement training for eligible patients and following the right process to ensure long-term success.

AudiologyOnline: What benefits does self-replacement bring to patients and providers?

Michelle Wiebke, AuD: There are multiple benefits for both patients and providers when it comes to self-replacement, self-replacement drives convenient living. With up to 50% fewer visits to the hearing care professional, patients have more flexibility and control over their subscription and confidence to live life without interruption. For the provider, they also benefit from fewer refit visits but it also provides more flexibility to meet patient needs and peace of mind to control their business.

AudiologyOnline: What research is there to support this new option?

Michelle Wiebke, AuD: With years of planning, multiple research sites and a 245-page clinical study report culminating in FDA-clearance for self-replacement, the evidence is there. A Phonak Field Study News Report reviews the research and key findings surrounding self-replacement. The study concluded that the optional HCP-guided self-replacement procedure is as safe and effective as the standard HCP-replacement procedure, with minimal variability in effectiveness outcomes between the self- and HCP-replaced devices.