On August 2, 2004, a profoundly deaf child was St. John's Clinic-ENT's 50th patient to receive a cochlear implant, marking a significant milestone for the 4-year-old Springfield, MO, cochlear implant clinic. "Having the opportunity to provide our 50th patient with the gift of hearing is very special to us," said Lisa Geier, Ph.D., Director of the St. John's Clinic-ENT. "Through the FDA-approved cochlear implant technology we offer, a child can go from complete silence to learning to hear, learning to speak and to becoming mainstreamed in school," Dr. Geier added.
Over 150 cochlear implant users throughout the region now come to St. John's Clinic-ENT for cochlear implant hearing health service and support. The cochlear implant program's popularity is resulting in expansion of the program and the recruitment of more trained and caring hearing health professionals. They are currently searching for an additional cochlear implant audiologist to meet this demand.
"Springfield may be a small town, but it has a huge medical draw because it offers access to high technology medical treatments like the cochlear implant," said Dr. Scott Estrem, M.D. "Our clinic actually supports and treats as many cochlear implant users as you would see in very large American cities. The attraction of our program is that we not only implant the needed medical technology, but also stay the course with our patients giving continued medical, audiological and psychological support," Dr. Estrem added.
"After I received my implant my audiologist brought me to a special support group so that I could learn helpful tips on how to hear even better and to meet with people who have lived with hearing loss," said patient Harold Bell, one of 80 members of the Cochlear Implant Club of the Ozarks. "It's like I was taken under wing and guided from silence to hearing and now on to life."
On Monday, August 2, Dr. Estrem surgically placed one of the most advanced medical devices ever created behind the child's ear and threaded a small electrode with 16 wires into his inner ear. The operation took approximately two hours and the child returned home from the hospital the same day. Approximately four weeks later, Dr. Geier will program the cochlear implant and the child's ears will be "born". For more information on cochlear implants or the open position, please contact the St. John's Clinic-ENT at Cochlear Implant Program
1229 East Seminole, Suite 530
Springfield, MO 65804
417-820-5071
417-820-3757 - fax
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