PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA--(Marketwired - Feb. 2, 2015) - Unitron, a global innovator of advanced hearing solutions, in partnership with Barbara E. Weinstein, Professor and Founding Executive Officer of the Doctor of Audiology Program (Au.D.) at CUNY, has designed a hearing healthcare toolkit to help physicians better screen patients for hearing loss and help them break down the barriers keeping them from getting the help they need.
The new "Hearing Healthcare Toolkit for Use in Primary and Geriatric Care" was created by Barbara E. Weinstein, Ph.D., The Graduate Center, CUNY, and Brian Taylor Au.D., Director of Practice Development and Clinical Affairs, Unitron, Plymouth, MN.
"The number of Americans who need hearing healthcare services but don't get them is disturbing," explains Taylor. "As a company, Unitron is focused on providing solutions for healthcare providers so they can better serve their patients, and get them the treatment they need. Early screening is another way of helping mitigate the effects that hearing loss can have on long-term health and quality of life."
Ongoing research has uncovered links between hearing loss and a growing list of other health conditions. In some cases, hearing loss may be an indicator of serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Untreated hearing loss may also contribute to health risks such as dementia, depression, falling and illnesses that require hospitalization.
"Primary care physicians typically serve as gatekeepers for individuals who may be hearing impaired," says Weinstein. "In many instances they do not recognize the profound physical, cognitive and emotional consequences of untreated hearing loss, which might initially be perceived as less urgent than other health concerns."
Unitron invites hearing healthcare professionals to download the toolkit free of charge at www.unitron.com/HHCPToolkit. The website also includes a downloadable guide for using the toolkit and a customizable cover letter that hearing healthcare professionals can send to physicians along with the toolkit, available at www.unitron.com/PhysicianToolkit.
About Unitron
Unitron is a global company that understands the hearing healthcare business is built on strong, personal relationships. We work closely with hearing healthcare professionals to improve the lives of people with hearing loss. A member of the Sonova Group, Unitron has a proven track record of developing hearing innovations that provide natural sound with exceptional speech understanding. Headquartered in Canada, Unitron distributes its full line of hearing instruments to customers in more than 60 countries. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.unitron.com/us or the Unitron Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.
