Over the last three years, the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, has focused its efforts on educating the medical community about hearing loss and its treatment. BHI developed the Physician Referral Development Program (PRDP) for hearing health providers in 2001. Currently, close to 2,000 audiologists and hearing instrument specialist practices have enrolled in the Program. The August 2004 Hearing Journal features an article that evaluates the efficacy of the Program across 40 test cities using 36 months of hearing instrument sales as a proxy for increased utilization of hearing health services.
BHI's PRDP is forecasted to result in higher physician referrals, as evidenced by its impact on the hearing instrument market. To put it in monetary terms for program participants, the Program is simulated to generate unit sales of more than 15,000 hearing instruments in CY2004 or additional retail revenue of $29 million ---- that is $17,000 for each participating practice. We would expect that the more assertive practitioner (one who meets with physicians versus mailing BHI materials to doctors) would be expected to achieve significantly higher growth in their practice.
This scientific market study objectively determined that developing relationships with physicians, using a tested method with credible educational material, results in greater physician awareness and referrals. This results in increased utilization of hearing health services, as evidenced by growth in hearing health provider practices. We urge hearing healthcare practitioners to enroll in BHI's Physician Referral Development Program at www.betterhearing.org. If you have enrolled in BHI's Program, but have not yet begun contacting physicians in your community, now is the time to do so.
Better Hearing Institute Physician Referral Development Program Increases Utilization of Hearing Health Services
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