SOMERSET, NJ March 9 – Nearly 500 hearing care professionals from across the US attended the 2023 OticonNEXT Conference, held February 24-26 in Orlando, Florida. The two-day conference focused on new research and innovative technology designed to strengthen the ability of hearing care professionals to provide real-world benefits for their patients. Throughout the weekend, presentations by keynote speakers and informal workshops with Oticon experts zeroed in on the support, tools and strategies hearing care professionals need to exceed patient expectations and differentiate their practice. An additional 2,000 hearing care professionals registered for the virtual OticonNext Conference, streamed on March 1.
Oticon President Gary Rosenblum opened the conference with the introduction of new Oticon Real™ and a reiteration of Oticon’s commitment to the hearing care professional. “We have great products but the outstanding satisfaction patients achieve is directly related to the expertise of the hearing care practitioners who fit our products,” said Rosenblum. “We know that the medical model – acquiring excellent products via a licensed hearing care professional -- is the very best pathway to success for a person with hearing loss. We design our products, like the new Oticon Real, with hearing care professionals in mind, as expertly-fit hearing aids allow users to access the full potential of hearing technology.”
Oticon Real represents the next step in Oticon BrainHearing™ technology designed to help patients experience the full open sound scene—with fewer disruptions. Competitor hearing aid technology relies extensively on directionality, which focuses on one speaker and suppresses surrounding sounds. Oticon Real opens up the full 360° sound scene to patients, offering all the sounds of the real world.
Conference keynote speaker Anu Sharma, PhD, Associate Chair of the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, shared insights on the impact of hearing loss on the brain and the effects of well-fit amplification on auditory deprivation and neural plasticity. Professor Sharma discussed her newest research that looks at the impact of sudden sounds and harsh noises on the brain.
Thomas Behrens, Vice President, Audiology & Applied Research, Hearing Aids, Demant and Chief of Audiology, Oticon A/S, provided a look to the future of hearing healthcare. Behrens offered a preview of the many innovative amplification technologies on the horizon that will enable Oticon to continue to push boundaries to improve the lives of people with hearing loss.
A series of interactive workshop sessions zeroed in on the tools and strategies hearing care professionals will need to shape their practices for success today and in the future.
To learn more about Oticon Real and to discover the entire portfolio of Oticon hearing aids with BrainHearing technology, visit Oticon.com.
Photo Caption: 2023 OticonNext focused on new research and innovative technology designed to strengthen the ability of hearing care professionals to provide real-world benefits for their patients. Presentations & workshops with keynote speakers and Oticon experts zeroed in on the support, tools and strategies hearing care professionals need to exceed patient expectations and differentiate their practice. (l-r) Thomas Behrens, Vice President, Audiology & Applied Research, Hearing Aids, Demant and Chief of Audiology; Anu Sharma, PhD, Associate Chair of the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, Jesse Shultis McLeod, Vice President, Customer Excellence; Nancy Palmere Mucha, Director of Consumer Marketing and Public Relations; Virginia Ramachandran, Virginia Ramachandran, AuD, PhD, Head of Audiology; Jacob Winter, Vice President of Marketing; Oticon President Gary Rosenblum; Michael Irby, AuD, National Sales Director; Amy Bohms, Sales Excellence Trainer and Jim Kelly President/General Manager, US Hearing Aids.
