Hearing Industries Association (HIA) released its quarterly statistical report for the first quarter of 2008 this week with twenty-one companies reporting data.
Based on this survey, the commercial (non-Veteran's Administration) market was up 3% from the previous quarter, but flat when compared to the same time period last year with less than a 1% increase Q1 2008 over Q1 2007. VA dispensing activity continued to increase, with a 7% increase Q1 2008 over Q1 2007, and a 2% increase over the previous quarter. Instruments sold to the VA accounted for 15% of the market this quarter. Overall, these numbers totaled a 1% increase overall for the combined U.S. hearing instrument market for Q1 2008 as compared to Q1 2007, with 600,273 instruments reported as sold.
The percentage of custom v. Behind-the-Ear (BTE) instruments over time shows a continued growing favor for BTE instruments, which made up 55% of the U.S. hearing instrument market in Q1 2008. BTE instruments comprised 49% of the market one year ago and 51% for all quarters combined 2007. Not surprisingly, the number of analog instruments sold dropped by more than half when comparing the first quarters of 2007 and 2008. Analog instruments made up approximately 4% of the market in Q1 2008, with 22,488 instruments sold. This compares to 8% (46,025 instruments) of the market for the same period last year, and 8% for total 2007. Nearly 1 in 5 BTEs sold in Q1 2008 utilized a size 10 battery, with more than 16,000 of these instruments sold in Q1 2008 as compared to the same time period last year. Distribution of shell styles within the custom category was relatively the same as 2007 totals. Average return rate was 14% for Q1 2008, down from nearly 22% the previous quarter, but steady when compared to 15% for the same period last year.
Hearing Industries Association Releases Report for First Quarter 2008
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