Submitted by Dr. Craig Johnson
President-Elect
www.audiologist.org
Academy of Dispensing Audiologists
One Windsor Cove, Suite 305
Columbia, South Carolina 29223
(800) 445-8629 phone
(803) 765-0860 Fax
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Registration Open
8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Continental Breakfast for Workshop Attendees Only
9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. Branding the Doctor of Audiology - Presented by Parker Lepla
We're giving you what you asked for: A day of Branding! Since so many of us face the same issues--defining our brand, explaining the Au.D and ADA and promoting our profession--we've brought in experts to help us better understand branding. How do we do you define brand? What does brand mean to the profession of Audiology and are we living our brand?
Parker LePla is a nationally recognized brand strategy and communications firm based in Seattle, WA. They actually coined the term "integrated branding," which is now a commonly used term, and published two books on the subject "Integrated Branding: Becoming Brand-Driven Through Companywide Action," and "Brand Driven: The Route to Integrated Branding through Great Leadership." Our presenters, Lynn Parker, co-founder and principal, and Eric Nobis, vice president, not only offer deep expertise in branding, but have worked with many not-for-profits and trade associations, as well as healthcare clients. They'll bring their vast experience to bear in teaching us the fundamentals of branding as well as sharing lessons learned from other industries that we can apply to our challenges.
Parker LePla will conduct a half-day interactive integrated branding workshop at the day-ahead session. The workshop will explain the concepts and benefits of integrated branding and the differences between advertising, marketing, PR and branding. The workshop will also include a case study/branding problem that you will work on in small groups to reinforce the learning and deepen your understanding of integrated branding. The remainder of the day will be devoted to focus groups in order to gain valuable input and opinions from attendees. Don't miss this exciting and unique opportunity to play an integral part in building our future professional identity.
The Board of Directors has decided not to charge for this session. The session is made possible by the proceeds that ADA has derived from the AuDNet program.
9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. Cerumen Management Workshop - Sam Kelso, Au.D., Coordinator
Since 1991, ADA has been the national leader in cerumen management educational workshops. Most state licensing regulations recognize the audiologist skills in this area by including this service in our scope of practice. Anatomy and physiology of the ear canal and associated structures will be reviewed. Techniques for cerumen management will be covered in a lecture format and practicum. Cerumen management is a vital practice component of the manager of hearing and balance care. A certificate that documents the completion of the workshop will be awarded to each participant.
6:30 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. Opening Reception in Exhibit Hall
Thursday, October 14, 2004
7:00 A.M- 5:00 P.M. Registration Open
7:30 A.M. - 8:30 P.M. First Timer, New Member, and Student Breakfast
7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. Continental Breakfast, All Registrants
8:30 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Opening Ceremonies and Awards
9:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. How To Teach Consumers To Say. "I want to see an audiologist as my manager of hearing and balance care!" - Lynn Parker
Is this only a dream or can this be a reality. This session will review differences in strategic positioning for marketing versus branding and how the profession is poised to take advantage of increased consumer awareness. Consumer education is the key ingredient in moving the profession to the forefront of hearing and balance healthcare. Opportunities are in place for the profession to take a commanding position in the marketplace.
10:30 A.M. - 11:15 A.M. Effective Communication is the Bridge to Patient Care - A Lighthearted Approach To Our Common Goals, Experiences, and Opportunities - Gail Wenos and Ezra D. Peabody
Audiologists are faced with daily questions that effect patient's lives. Sometimes this management is straightforward other times it involves interaction that produces reactions that if viewed in any other context would seem "unusual". We need to take a look at these "unusual" interactions and see how they can actually enhance our professional lives and experiences. We can then use these new experiences in future patient counseling opportunities.
11:15 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Exhibits Open
11:15 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Lunch With Exhibitors
1:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. Biochemistry Basics - Tabitha Parent-Buck and Ted Wendel
This session will review the fundamentals of biochemistry terminology and properties that form the foundations for further study of phamacology as well as neurophysiology. Topics will include basics such as atoms and molecules, acids and bases, RNA and DNA, metabolism, ion channels, neurotransmission and more. The concepts discussed will be related to aspects of pharmacology and the audiovestibular system through examples.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Horizontal Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV-HC) - Richard Gans
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is the most common cause of vertigo. It most often affects the posterior canal because of its anatomical position below the utricle. The horizontal canal is the second most affected canal, and it may occur during or following Canalith repositiong procedures. More importantly this diagnosis cannot be made using the Dix-Hallpike positioning maneuvers and the nystagmus and vertigo may appear in the positional tests. Further complicating the diagnosis is the pattern of geotropic and ageotropic nystagmus which may be confused with migrainous positional vertigo (MPV).
This presentation will review the testing and differential diagnostic clinical pathways for BPPV-HC and MPV. Treatment of BBPV-HC using the Appiani, Cassani and Barbecue roll methods will be presented. The presentation will include video of nystagmus patterns and treatment procedures.
Audiology Accreditation Revisited: One Year Later - Doris Gordon
An update will be provided on the activities of the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) during the past year. ACAE's new Draft Standards will be available for participants to see and an overall discussion about them will be presented.
Information about ACAE's new Computerized Accreditation Program (CAP) will be described. This is an automated system that will allow educational programs seeking accreditation to complete all aspects of the process online. The system will enable programs to answer questions about accreditation and easily retrieve important data that they may otherwise not be able to access. ACAE believes this unique system will provide better efficiency and value to a critical aspect of education.
In addition, participants will hear about another part of the CAP system which involves competency assessments. These will be offered to Au.D. programs seeking accreditation for their use with students and program evaluation. Primarily, the metrics will be used to assess student learning outcomes at several stages throughout their education. These metrics will be defined in terms of particular levels of knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies that students have attained at the completion of their studies and as a result of earning the Au.D. degree.
2:30 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Break
2:45 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. Biochemistry Basics (continued from 1:30 session) - Tabitha Parent-Buck
and Ted Wendel
The Legal Framework for a Doctoring Profession: A New Model Licensure Statute for Audiology - Larry Engelmann, Barry Freeman, and Robert Gippin
State licensing is at the core of the effort to transition audiology to a doctoring profession and to improve the quality of practice. The Au.D. degree must be required for licensure if the transition is to succeed. Isolated efforts to amend state licensing statutes have been made in the past. But only a uniform model statute that contains the important policy features that are needed can really advance the cause. For more than a year, a joint committee of AAA, ADA and AFA has worked to develop such a model.
This presentation, with discussion, will include representatives from each of the contributing organizations. Tentative panel members are: Larry Engelmann, Au.D., Barry Freeman, Ph.D., Robert Gippin, Esq., and Kenneth Lowder, Au.D. The panel will give an overview of the final version of the model statute, talk about the implications of the new statute, and discuss effective methods for promoting adoption of the statute in various states.
Skin Problems affecting the Ear: What Every Audiologist Should Know - Norman Levine
In the course of an evaluation, the audiologist will see pathologic skin changes on the ear, which may require treatment. Many common benign skin diseases such as seborrheic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, external otitis, chondrodermatitis nodularis, epidermoid cysts and chronic sun damage will be presented. Malignant skin conditions that occur on the ear will discuss from the point of view of acquiring the ability to identify a lesion, which may be worrisome, without having to make a specific diagnosis. The establishment of professional referral relationships with dermatologists represents another bridge to the medical community.
3:45 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. Break
4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. Managing High Frequency Hearing Loss; Issues and Resolution? - Francis Kuk
High frequency hearing loss is perhaps the most frequent audiometric configuration encountered by dispensing clinicians. Unlike those with a flat hearing loss, managing this hearing loss configuration requires the resolution of several conflicting issues. Providing sufficient gain in the high frequency without feedback often requires a small vent in the hearing aid. This could enhance the perception of the occlusion effect and lead to dissatisfaction. Furthermore, potential issues with dead region and acclimatization must be recognized prior to gain assignment. In this presentation, we will review the issues surrounding this loss configuration and offer a systematic approach to maximize wearer satisfaction.
Infection Control in the Hearing Aid Clinic - A.U. Bankaitis
Diverse patient populations who are susceptible to potentially infectious microorganisms residing throughout the hearing aid dispensing environment seek hearing aid services. As providers of hearing health care services, dispensing audiologists must take appropriate measures to protect patients, co-workers and themselves in clinical situations that may expose individuals to infectious microbes. Infection control involves the process of minimizing the risk of potential exposure to infectious organisms through careful manipulation of the clinical environment. The purpose of this course is to provide audiologists with a rationale for infection control, review federally mandated requirements for infection control, and provide practical guidelines for implementing hearing aid-specific infection protocols in the dispensing environment.
Verifying and Demonstrating Digital Hearing Aid Features - Lynda Clark
It is crucial to verify the function of advanced digital hearing aid features, such as Directionality and Noise Management, as well as to demonstrate their performance to the patient in order to convey the value of the hearing instrument technology. But what is the best way to do this? This course will walk through verification and demonstration techniques and protocols for the digital hearing aid features of Directionality, Expansion and Noise Management. A basic overview will be provided of each feature, followed by step-by-step recommendations for verification of the feature, focusing on Probe Microphone and speech measures. Finally, opportunities to demonstrate the feature to the patient, thereby allowing them to better understand the technology and its purpose, will be discussed.
Gabfest: An Open Conversation with your Board of Directors - How can I get more involved with ADA?
This open forum will allow participants to learn how they can be more involved with ADA committees. This will be a perfect opportunity to discuss your short or long term goals for your organization. The process and status of ADA's activities on behalf of the membership will be reviewed.
5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. AFA Art Auction
7:00 P.M Round-up Opening Night Party
Friday, October 15, 2004
7:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Registration Open
7:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Exhibits Open
7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. Continental Breakfast
8:30 A.M. - 9:30 A.M. What the Heck is ADRO?? - Todd Fortune
A study that combines the effectiveness of two advanced technologies will be presented. One is ADRO ™ (Dynamic Hearing), a method of signal processing that was developed for use in cochlear implants and has recently been introduced by Interton as an algorithm for hearing aids. Another is Adaptive Beamforming (ABF), which has been shown to be an effective means of noise reduction. The study examines the relative contribution of both technologies to overall benefit in a group of hearing aid users. Comparisons include ADRO in omnidirectional mode, ADRO in fixed directional mode, ADRO in ABF mode and conventional compression. A variety of laboratory and at-home outcome measures were used, including speech in noise tasks, rating scales (sound quality, clarity, loudness and noise annoyance), and the APHAB. Results will be discussed in terms of audiometric characteristics, hearing aid experience and electroacoustic effects.
Pharmacology: More Than Just Ototoxicity - Ted Wendel
This session will cover drug classifications, issues related to polypharmacy, drug development and regulation, ototoxicity, and a review of research regarding otoprotective agents. At the completion of this program you should be able to: 1) understand the factors that influence the time course of drug action ; 2) identify classes of drugs that are ototoxic and recognize the main use and some common drugs in each classification; 3) relate specific factors that may alter drug activity in special populations such as infants and the elderly; and 4) describe the process and impact of drug development and regulation.
Maximizing your Reimbursement Dollar - Kim Cavitt
With rising insurance and operating costs but decreasing reimbursement it is more important than ever to code and bill for your diagnostic and hearing aid services as efficiently and effectively as possible. This seminar will focus on several typical test scenarios-comprehensive hearing evaluation of an adult, a pediatric assessment, an ENG assessment, vestibular rehabilitation, implantable hearing aids, a central auditory processing evaluation, a hearing aid sale-and teach you how to correctly code and bill for those procedures and thus maximize profits. We will discuss topics such as CPTs, ICD9s, and HCPCS codes, advanced beneficiary notices, insurance contracting for hearing aids, Medicaid and internet hearing aid sales. We will also discuss the cost effectiveness of adding new equipment and new procedures to your clinic's repertoire.
Gabfest: Does the Name "Academy of Dispensing Audiologists" Still Fit Our Profession? - Larry Engelmann, moderator
There has been some discussion over the years that ADA's name does not reflect our present scope of practice. This session will review the historical rationale for our organization's name. Discussion will focus on potential names that might better reflect a doctoring profession. What are the pros and cons of changing our associations' name that has developed an industry identity for almost three decades?
9:30 A.M. - 9:45 A.M. Break
9:45 A.M. - 10:45 A.M. Ototoxicity: Agents, Audiologic Monitoring, and New Research on Otoprotectants for Ototoxic and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss - Kathleen C. M. Campbell
Ototoxins and noise are frequent causes of hearing loss. Audiologists can play a role in preventing these hearing losses. In the future we may be able to pharmacologically prevent or treat these disorders thus potentially preserving hearing many thousands of patients every year. This seminar will first review the most common ototoxins in clinical use, including chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotic agents, and loop diuretics. Hearing loss characteristics, anatomical changes, risk factors, and synergistic reactions will be discussed. Then considerations for ototoxicity monitoring will be discussed, including conventional audiometry, high frequency audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, significant change criteria, patient considerations, and monitoring schedules. The last section will focus on new agents to prevent ototoxic and noise-induced hearing loss by otoprotective agents. Current research will be reviewed discussing a variety of pharmacologic agents including the author's own research in preventing cisplatin/carboplatin-induced, aminoglycoside-induced, and noise-induced hearing loss.
Evaluation of Several Common Hearing Aid Features and Algorithms - Jennifer Groth, Andrew Dittberner, and Laurel Christensen
Today's digital hearing aids contain features and algorithms that are designed to enhance speech intelligibility and comfort in various environments. This presentation will overview the electroacoustical performance of several features and algorithms and their perceptual consequences. Emphasis will be placed on open fittings, noise reduction, directionality, and digital feedback suppression systems.
AuD Program Experiences: "Meet you at the Forum" - Eric Hagberg - Moderator
Graduates of each of the distance education AuD programs will relate their experiences during and after earning their degrees. Each Au.D. program director will speak about their program's unique focus and tell prospective adult students how their program may meet their needs. Program materials and information will be available so that members who are considering earning an Au.D. degree will understand what is involved and be prepared to make a decision. The AFA will offer a $1000 scholarship to a lucky winner ready to enroll in an Au.D. program who is present.
10:45 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. Break
11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Ototoxicity: Agents, Audiologic Monitoring, and New Research on Otoprotectants for Ototoxic and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (continued from 9:45 A.M.) - Kathleen C. M. Campbell
Hooray, I'm Getting New Digital Hearing Aids, So I Wont Have to Listen Anymore!
- Robert Sweetow
The hype surrounding digital amplification encourages many patients to have unrealistic expectations. Some believe that these new hearing aids will be so good, utilization of listening strategies won't be necessary. Excessive time may be spent programming and matching targets, at the expense of listening to and addressing patients' overt and covert needs. While understanding the importance of selling hearing aids as a part of the rehabilitative process, audiologists need to separate themselves from basic salespeople by creating a more balanced mix of technical support (programming), emotional support (counseling), and rehabilitation (auditory training). Counseling skills may seem obvious, but they are not inherent in all audiologists. In this session, novel strategies and approaches to counseling (comprised of both information gathering and conveying of information) will be detailed. In addition, a new computerized interactive listening training program will be discussed.
Advanced Signal Processing: Patient Benefits- Thomas Powers
Advanced digital signal processing circuits such as speech enhancement, noise reduction and feedback management provides hearing aid users with a variety of features and potential benefits. Clinicians and dispensers have received anecdotal reports from hearing aid users that they receive significant benefits from many of these algorithms. These benefits have also been evaluated in a variety of research studies using both objective and subjective outcome measures. This presentation will review the reported benefits from these algorithms and discuss how these and future signal processing algorithms will be presented to prospective purchasers.
Clinical Training in Au.D. Programs - Moderator, Anita T. Pikus, Panelists - George Osborne, Jim McDonald, and Tabitha Parent-Buck
Clinical training within Au.D. programs is very different than clinical training in the old academic model based on the masters and/or other (non-professional) doctorates. The clinical expertise required graduating with an Au.D. which is our own first professional degree implies far more variety and greater depth of clinical experience to be consistent with the rest of healthcare. Those of you who are developing training, those of you who have undergone or will undergo that training or those professionals who oversee it (or might do so) in clinical rotation sites are the major players in this discussion. We want to hear from you. This panel looks at clinical training from a wide range of professional perspectives, including both student and preceptor. Did you love your clinical training? Do you think it needs revision? Want to mold young audiologists for the future? This is the time and place where your influence matters.
1:00 P.M. Golf Tournament - AFA Event
1:30 P.M. - 3:30 P.M Mentoring Program for Au.D. Candidates - Jim McDonald, Au.D. and Bob Manning, Au.D.
Clinical skills are only a part of an audiologists' education. Business management tools are a necessary part of an audiology practice regardless of one's eventual setting. This session will introduce important business concepts to students. In addition, how the audiologist relates to other disciplines is a vital part of one's development. Strategies for interaction will be discussed.
Saturday, October 16, 2004
7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Registration Open
7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. Continental Breakfast
7:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Exhibits Open
8:30 A.M. - 9:30 AM Implementing the Pediatric Amplification Guidelines - Catherine Palmer
This presentation will outline the new American Academy of Audiology Pediatric Amplification Guidelines and provide suggestions for implementing the guidelines. Specific protocols will be suggested and illustrated.
The talk will cover needed diagnostic information, selecting features, pre-setting recommendations, verification, orientation, validation, and follow-up.
Hands-On Tour of the Human Brain - Tabitha Parent Buck, Au.D and the ASHS Au.D. Students
This presentation will include a guided tour through the brain, focusing on brainstem structures, thalamic structures, cortical structures, ventricles, cranial nerves and the neurovasculature. Central pathways and structures related to the audiovestibular system will be emphasized. A brief review using a powerpoint presentation will be followed by a hands-on laboratory with brain models, whole brain specimens and brain slices. Dr. Parent Buck will be assisted by a number of current ASHS Au.D. students in order to allow small groups of participants to go through various neuroanatomy lab stations. (limit 35 participants)
Using Internet/email As A Marketing Tool - Mark Sanford
Does using email/the internet work as a marketing tool? Does having a website mean increased profits by bringing in new patients to your office? This program will discuss how to use the internet and email as a way to have existing patients become loyal and bring new patients into your practice.. The goal of this talk will be to create a plan that will "make a home run" for your business.
Creating a New Experience in Hearing Care - Jim Kothe
At times it is useful to investigate what other professionals do to improve service to their patients or consumers. This talk will give examples of a trend in both retail and medical settings to create a unique experience for consumers. It will also look at the role of technology in creating this experience. Finally, we will describe a new counseling multimedia tool that can be used in hearing care practices to create a unique experience for our clients. This tool enables hearing care professionals to demonstrate the adjustments being made in real time by an advanced digital hearing instrument in response to changes in its sound environment. The tool also enables hearing care professionals to recreate many of the sound environments likely to be encountered by patients, to explain the challenges being created by these environments and to demonstrate the technologies available to help meet these challenges.
9:30 A.M. - 9:45 A.M. Break
9:45 A.M. - 10:45 A.M. Is there Evidence on which to Base Recommendations
for Amplification? - Victor Bray
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) requires the integration of clinical expertise, patient values, and research evidence. Movement towards EBM for dispensing audiologists begs the question "Is there research evidence available for clinical recommendations and appropriate expectations?" This seminar will report results from multi-year, multi-site, research studies that have evaluated hundreds of hearing aid fittings using a standardized protocol. These clinically-significant and statistically-significant results debunk the widely-held belief that only directional-microphone hearing aids improve speech understanding in background noise. Analysis of this large-n study leads to a series of clinical decision-making rules regarding expected benefit derived from amplification, including the general guidance that the average benefit for speech-in-noise (dB SNR) equals 10% of the hearing threshold level for speech-in-quiet (dB A). The seminar will demonstrate a new and client-friendly method to predict, recommend, and verify benefit from amplification.
Auditory Processing Disorders In Adults - Gail Whitelaw
Auditory processing disorders are often overlooked in adults who present with hearing difficulties. If a "normal" audiogram is obtained, the patient is often dismissed with no additional assessment or remediation. This presentation will focus on the identification and management of auditory processing disorders in the adult population. A brief overview of auditory processing will be offered, including aspects of both an aging and disordered auditory system. Impact of specific aspects of auditory processing, including binaural hearing and temporal aspects of audition, will be discussed. Auditory processing issues related to adults will be described and confounding factors, such as peripheral hearing loss, will be addressed. Assessment of auditory processing disorders will be discussed, along with the potential value of such a diagnosis. Possible etiologies in adults will also be highlighted. Developing a management plan, with specific categories of recommendations, will be discussed. Several case studies will be offered.
Hands-On Tour of the Human Brain (Continuation of 8:30AM session) - Tabitha Parent Buck, Au.D and the ASHS Au.D. Students
Cochlear Implants: Updated Criteria for Selection and Management - Marcia Clark and Carol Higgins
The treatment option of a cochlear implant has changed greatly in recent years. Selection criteria for both pediatrics and adults will be discussed along with the clinical rationale for bilateral implants. The success rate of revision surgeries has broadened the patient population. These current issues will be reviewed from a perspective of the audiologists impact in the treatment and management plan.
Auditory Steady State Responses: Fundamentals and Applications - Mona Dworsack
When performing the infant diagnostic audiological assessment, the audiologist needs to be able to accurately determine the type, degree and configuration of the hearing loss. Click ABR alone is not sufficient in diagnosing hearing loss. With the introduction of Auditory Steady State Responses (ASSR), audiologists can obtain frequency specific auditory responses quickly. These responses assist the audiologist in determining the configuration of the hearing loss. The research, clinical aspects and results of ASSR will be explored. Case studies will demonstrate the benefits of ASSR and ongoing research will be introduced.
10:45 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. Break
11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Diagnosis and Treatment of Cochlear Dead Regions - David Fabry
Today's digital instruments and multi-band compression provide much improved audibility for speech across a wide range of listening environments. For some hearing aid users, however, more audibility doesn't result in improved benefit and satisfaction, and this has been highlighted recently by the research on cochlear dead regions. Several diagnostic measures, including the Threshold Equalizing Noise (TEN) Test, psychophysical tuning curves, and Quick SIN have been proposed as measures that are both sensitive and specific to the presence of dead regions. This session will discuss the clinical applications from recent studies that have investigated the merits of these and other measures.
Although the diagnosis of dead regions is an important step, many clinicians are faced with the more significant challenge of providing treatment for patients with identified cochlear dead regions. The second half of this session will focus on present and future potential strategies, including band-limited amplification, frequency compression, and biomodal (electric/acoustic) amplification. Audience participation is strongly encouraged.
What is Great Customer Service? - Terry Griffing
In the hearing instrument dispensing industry, customer service can be divided into two parts; first, what the service dispensers should expect from manufacturers to dispenser, and second, from the dispenser to the end-user the hearing aid customer. This paper will focus on both manufacturer to dispenser and dispensers to end-user. There are many similarities; however, there are some inherent differences.
Building and achieving service leadership is an incredibly difficult challenge because it requires change in the way we conduct our business. The hearing instrument marketplace shows it often costs over $300.00 to get a net customer. It is equally true that many new hearing aid clients are acquired because of competitor's poor service.
This presentation will cover six points: How to devise a service strategy, get employees to behave like customer service fanatics, motivate and train employees, design services that make great customer service possible, invest in a service infrastructure, and how to monitor achievement of all customer service goals. Each customer contact is a moment of truth, an opportunity to make either a positive or negative impression. It is never neutral.
Bundling versus Unbundling Professional Fees and Services: Panel Discussion - Dave Cieliczka, Jim McDonald, and Dave Citron
Hearing aid dispensing models have varied in the past +30 years. As private practices increased their market share bundling services have dominated the marketplace. Now in the age of insurance reimbursement, this model may not serve the profession or its patients as well as it appeared many years ago. This panel will review the experiences of different practices and they will review how they evolved to their current methodology of billing.
Are We Asleep At The Wheel? The Delicate Future of Private Practice Audiology In The United States - Dave Smirga
As audiology continues its doctoring care evolution, most existing and future Au.D. practitioners' believe that private practice is not only a desirable career option, but an inalienable right. Truth is the next ten years represent a pivotal time in which the concept of audiology private practice in the United States will be directly challenged and could even erode as a viable career path.
By examining the various business circumstances that have re-defined the distribution of medical care in the United States over the last two decades, and comparing those to similar circumstances evolving within the hearing care industry, it becomes evident that sustainable private practice opportunities in audiology are becoming increasingly more at risk. It is also evident that if the audiology community acts now, these challenges can be effectively countered, and audiology private practice can indeed be both sustained and endowed as a viable Au.D. career option for many years to come.
This presentation will examine the existing and future challenges facing the audiology private practice model, and will outline steps the audiology community can take to resist these challenges while enriching the opportunity audiology private practice can represent.
12:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. Membership Luncheon and Business Meeting
12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. Box Lunch for those not attending the Business Meeting
2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. Investing for the 21st Century - Joe Kiely
Do you know if you're well-diversified? Do you own large growth, large value, small growth and small value stocks? Do you know if your investments are beating the well-known indexes stated above? Have you eliminated/reduced all of your front-end, yearly and back-end fees? Can you read your financial statements? Do they provide information about the diversification, fees and performance? If you are not sure about any of these basic investment issues, maybe a few hours with Dr. Finance will cure your ills.
2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. Effective Utilization of Sound in Tinnitus Management - Merideth Eldridge
Sound therapy is an integral part of tinnitus and hyperacusis management programs. This course will address how and why sound is effective in tinnitus management, discuss the rationale for choosing sound type and style for devices, particularly, ear worn devices, and provide instructions for fitting devices used in sound therapy.
Gabfest: How Do I Bill For Central Auditory Processing Procedures? Craig Johnson, moderator
CAP services can represent an additional revenue source that may be underserved in your community. This session will review appropriate billing codes and will discuss how the marketing of these specialized services.
3:45 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. Break
4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. Persuasive Dispensing - Sandy Bushong
This workshop addresses how an audiologist can take a critical look at their "presentation" to patients throughout the assessment and fitting process. The goal is to create a customer friendly presentation that is informative and sale focused but avoids hard selling techniques.
Participants will learn about a variety of effective presentation formats and the session will review the "10 Most Persuasive Words" to get the process off on to the right start. You will learn how to manage the sales process to make it an enjoyable yet persuasive presentation to the patient who does not wish to be sold with hard close techniques.
Learning outcomes include presentation self-audit, effective presentation design and implementing the presentations in the dispensing practice.
6:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. Cocktail Reception
7:30 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. Banquet
Academy of Dispensing Audiologists (ADA) releases e-version of the 2004 Convention Agenda
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