SALT LAKE CITY—Sonic Innovations, Inc. (Sonic), the newest provider of hearing instruments to the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA), is conducting ongoing training events for government clinicians. The company has just completed its first two trainings, April 12 through 13 in San Diego, California and April 25 through 27 in Portland, Oregon. Three more trainings are scheduled for May 3 through 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 12 through 14 in Memphis, Tennessee and May 17 through 19 in Washington, D.C.
As a vendor under the VA contract, Sonic is able to provide training free of charge to VA audiologists and technicians. All training will be for Sonic Innovations products offered through the VA contract, which include the company's Velocity™ (premium to affordable hearing aids), Touch™ (the smallest receiver-in-canal product available in the market), Endura™ (a new Super Power BTE), and ion™ (open ear hearing aids) product lines. Continuing education credits are also offered.
"As a U.S. company, we are pleased to be able to offer our technologically advanced hearing aids to our veterans. The VA is the single largest provider of hearing aids in North America," said Paul Wennerholm, president and COO of Sonic Innovations. "These trainings give us a great opportunity to get to know the VA clinicians and their practices, while allowing us to introduce Sonic's products. Whatever the veteran's needs may be, they will find an exceptional match in features, style and quality from our products. We feel privileged to have an opportunity to work with these clinicians, and we will do everything we can to help them be successful in their clinics."
Sonic submitted its proposal to the VA in response to a request for proposal issued in early 2009 and was awarded a contract to supply hearing aids beginning November 1, 2009. Sonic was successful in receiving an award in each of the categories in which it bid, allowing it to sell its custom, behind-the-ear and receiver-in-canal products through the VA. The award from the VA is a one-year contract with four one-year extension options. Sonic anticipates participating on the contract for the entire five years.
About Sonic Innovations
Sonic Innovations (www.sonici.com), headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has international offices and manufacturing centers across the globe. In conjunction with its distributor partners, Sonic Innovations has provided hearing care services and solutions in more than 25 countries and the company's partners have prescribed more than 1 million Sonic hearing instruments. Sonic Innovations is part of the Otix Global, Inc. family (NASDAQ: OTIX), which can be found online at www.otixglobal.com. You may also visit the Sonic Innovations web channel on Audiology Online.
