SOMERSET, NJ, March 4 – More than 600 hearing care professionals from across the US attended the OticonNext Conference, held February 23-25 in Orlando, Florida. An additional 2000 hearing care professionals registered for the virtual conference, streamed on February 28. The knowledge-sharing events introduced Oticon Intent™, the world’s first hearing aid with user-intent sensors. The innovative technology in Oticon Intent allows the hearing aid to recognize when the user’s listening needs change and seamlessly adapt sound processing to support their communication in any situation. Oticon President Gary Rosenblum explored the new hearing technology in the context of the latest research, consumer trends, and behaviors. Throughout the conference, seminars and workshops led by expert speakers and Oticon staff provided participants with strategies, tools, and tactics to help patients engage in life like never before.
A New Standard for Hearing-in-Noise Assessment
Head of Audiology Virginia Ramachandran, AuD, PhD discussed how Oticon’s unique BrainHearing™ philosophy powers the development of life-changing technology, like Oticon Intent, and advances in audiology with new tools, like the Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT™) test. Quick and straightforward, ACT allows hearing care professionals to accurately quantify a person’s real-world ability to hear in noise in approximately two minutes with one standardized test. ACT results can be automatically imported to the Oticon Genie 2 fitting software, enabling hearing care professionals to objectively calculate and apply advanced help features and customize help-in-noise features in MoreSound Intelligence™.
“ACT opens a new way of thinking about hearing aid fitting,” said Ramachandran. “Where the audiogram measures the quantity of hearing, that is how much you hear, ACT measures the quality of hearing, how well you hear in noise. The ACT test quickly and efficiently supports the fitting of advanced adaptive features in hearing aids with an upfront prediction of a person’s real-world ability to hear in noise. This allows more targeted counseling and expectation setting, offering patients a new, more personalized standard of care.”
Evidence-based Research, Practical Skills, Practice Support
James Michael Harte, Senior Director of the Eriksholm Research Centre, shared a deeper dive into Oticon’s BrainHearing approach and Eriksholm’s commitment to audiological discoveries that improve the lives of people with hearing loss. Vice President of Marketing, Jacob Torpe Winter, provided an overview of Oticon’s portfolio of products and its unique features, benefits, and value. Additional seminars and workshop sessions focused on support at the practice level, zeroing in on the knowledge, skills, and business strategies hearing care professionals need to drive patient and practice success.
The OticonNext Conference concluded with a presentation by keynote speaker Eric Saperston, author, filmmaker, team-building expert, and leadership coach. Saperston offered insight and inspiration with traits designed to help conference participants elevate their professional and personal journey and achieve extraordinary results while living extraordinary lives.
Highlights from the conference were captured as Otibytes, short 5-6 minute videos available for view during the virtual stream. Topics covered include: BrainHearing, Oticon Intent, Oticon Pediatrics, Eriksholm Research Center, Counseling Techniques, and ACT Testing.
Learn more about Oticon Intent and the ACT test at www.oticon.com/intent-technology. For more information on Oticon’s professional development and business support services, visit https://www.oticon.com/professionals/partnership.
