Lantos Technologies, Derry, NH, is seeking to change the way audiologists and hearing aid specialists see and model the ear canal during the hearing aid impression-taking process for both ITE custom-fit and RIC hearing aid earmolds. The company has relaunched its proven 3D ear scanning technology with a new corporate and investment team headed up by CEO Paul Harkness, who has served for over 25 years in various executive posts within hearing aid manufacturer and distribution companies, including as senior vice president of Amplifon’s Elite Hearing Network.

Harkness cites the disruptive elements affecting hearing healthcare, including the rising of managed care and third-party payers, Big Box retailers, and the upcoming new class of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. These forces will continue to drive hearing aid dispensing practices toward more efficient best practices and customized patient-centered care (PCC) for individuals with hearing loss. It will also necessitate differentiation of professional dispensing offices from OTC and self-fit online devices.

“Our technology enables practitioners to truly “own the ear” and become the full-service ear resource for people everywhere,” he says. “So, I would simply say this to practitioners: Let’s make it clear to patients everywhere who their go-to ear expert is.”

See the interview with Harkness below:

A Better, More Practical System for “Customized Sound” and Individualization  

With the relaunch of the company, the Lantos 3D Ear Scanning System equipment will now be charging fees on a per-patient basis, making it easier for all practices to obtain and adopt the technology, according to Harkness. Training and support are also included as part of the system.

Harkness says the Lantos 3D Ear Scanning System will also allow dispensing professionals to use more custom-fit products for all hearing aid fittings, including the most-popular RIC and RITE style hearing which account for about 4-in-5 (79%) of all US hearing aids dispensed in 2020. The choice of earmold/eartip has large implications, both in terms of how much direct sound is transmitted and how much low-frequency sound escapes through the ear tip/earmold, and Harkness predicts that Lantos technology will revive the important benefits in custom earmolds, resulting in enhanced sound quality, retention, better feedback and occlusion control, and comfort for the wearer—resulting in greater patient satisfaction and loyalty.

“Patients prefer custom fit solutions and, we believe, delivering such an experience will improve satisfaction and retention,” says Harkness.  “Our focus will be on making our 3D ear scanning system easy and inexpensive to acquire for the practice. We look forward to helping practitioners everywhere incorporate 3D ear scanning as the next best practice standard of care, so as to build their business around this differentiator.” 

“Patients deserve optimal care when they visit a hearing care professional,” says Lantos Founding Strategy Advisor Susan Whichard, whose career has included owning and running a successful private practice as well as several executive positions within the hearing industry. “Today that care should  include a Lantos 3D ear scan that can be used to quickly order a custom hearing device, a custom RIC tip or earmold, custom hearing protection, or a consumer audio mold.”

The Lantos System

Although the  benefits of a custom earmold are evident for a wide range of hearing aid fittings, impression-taking remains something of an art that uses many different materials and techniques, and some clinicians have proven to be better artists than others—as noted in numerous Hearing Review articles on this subject. The various methods and unnecessary time lost in preparing earmold materials and cleaning can result in longer and/or multiple office visits, and, in worst-case scenarios, discomfort for patients, frustration for dispensing professionals, and extra costs for hearing aid manufacturers (and consumers) in the form of hearing aid returns.

Lantos Technologies’ 3D scanning system, which originated about 10 years ago from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), eliminates the need for taking physical ear impressions with standard impression material. Utilizing a handheld video otoscope/scanner that maps the interior of a liquid-filled conforming membrane (CM) inside the ear canal, the system is designed to take accurate 3D images safely beyond the second bend.

As shown in an online video, the Lantos Scanner is a small handheld device composed of a fiberscope enclosed in a conforming membrane, which is then inserted into the patient’s ear canal. The conforming membrane is subsequently filled with liquid, causing the membrane to expand and conform to the shape of the ear canal. Next, the fiberscope retracts and generates a dynamic 3-D image of the ear canal in real time. The entire scan takes less than 60 seconds, and the scanning data can be sent online to the hearing aid manufacturer or earmold fabricator immediately anywhere in the world. Advantages include a no-mess highly detailed 3D representation of the ear for better, faster hearing aid fittings, and more efficient communication with the hearing aid manufacturer.

More Details…

For more information, visit https://www.lantostechnologies.com or contact Harkness at pharkness@lantostechnologies.com.

Hearing Review thanks Susan Whichard for her assistance on this article.

The new course, “Getting Started with Person-Centered Care for Support Staff,”  was developed in collaboration with Greta Stamper, AuD, PhD, and assistant director of audiology at the Mayo Clinic.

“As audiologists, we occasionally underestimate the importance of support staff on the patient journey. This is critical as they offer the first and last impression as people enter and leave the clinic,” says Stamper. “Most support staff training focuses on the technical aspects of the workload and the personal interaction skills are not formally taught. They often pick it up on the job, which can lead to occasional breakdowns in care, when forgotten. By involving everyone in PCC, the patient journey is much more comprehensive and complete.”

Lise Lotte Bundesen, managing director of the Ida Institute, said “We are pleased to collaborate with Greta Stamper on this new course that raises awareness around an aspect of the patient journey that has not previously received much attention. The course fills a gap in the field and marks a significant advancement in the implementation of a holistic PCC approach.”

“Getting Started with Person-Centered Care for Support Staff” is intended for anyone in a support role, from front desk staff members and audiology assistants or technicians, to individuals handling insurance or billing—and anyone else who might interact with individuals in hearing healthcare. The course provides an overall introduction to PCC, looks at the different elements and key benefits, and dives into the aspects that are particularly relevant to support staff. The course is “intuitive, bite-sized, and can be taken on the go,” according to the Institute.

“Getting Started with Person-Centered Care for Support Staff” is now available free of charge in the Ida Learning Hall (login required). Support staff who complete the course are eligible to join the Inspired by Ida program.

Source: Ida Institute

Image: Ida Institute

Hearing healthcare providers, in an effort to continue serving patients while social distancing recommendations are still in place, may be considering the benefits of offering remote telehealth options. In the wake of a disruption in normal business practices, providers may seek information on assistance available from the federal government or suggestions on how to manage their budgets.

Starkey Hearing Technologies, as part of its “In This Together” video series, has compiled content with helpful tips from Starkey leaders on managing your business in the wake of COVID-19. Some recently added videos in the series include:

• Managing Your Practice’s Online Presence During Covid-19. Chris Gould provides tips for hearing providers on how to manage and keep retail marketing budgets working “as hard as possible.”
• Unpacking Telehealth Regulatory Guidelines Video. Dr Dave Fabry breaks down the complexity of changing regulatory guidance related to telehealth.
• CARES Act Paycheck Protection Plan Latest Updates Video. Michael Scholl provides an update on the program and offers a glimpse at some of the information that will be shared in Friday’s webinar (more information below).

To access the “In This Together” series, please click here.

This Friday, April 17, at 10 am, Starkey hosts a new, live webinar featuring President, Brandon Sawalich; Chief Health Officer, Dr Archelle Georgiou; Chief Compliance Officer, Michael Scholl, and Chief Growth Officer, Chris McCormick to discuss how to manage your business through COVID-19, including industry updates, the “new normal,” and small-business best practices. Chief Innovation Officer, Dave Fabry, will facilitate. To register for the webinar, please click here.

Source: Starkey

Additionally, EUHA is planning the 65th Annual Congress and Exhibition for October 7-9, 2020, in at the Deutsche Messe Hannover, Germany. EUHA anticipates “more than 8,000 delegates” will attend the event for hearing aid acousticians, audiologists, and the hearing aid industry. Please see below for a video with additional information.

Source: EUHA

Media: EUHA, YouTube

The collaboration reportedly allows members of the Inspired by Ida program who have clinic profiles on Healthy Hearing or Hearing Directory to display their Inspired status on their profile at no charge. Consumers can then identify clinics that are members of the Inspired by Ida program, have taken courses in how to provide person-centered counseling, and expressed their dedication to person-centered care by signing the Inspired by Ida Code of Ethics.

Healthy Hearing is said to offer consumers “the largest directory and verified reviews of audiologists, ENTs, and hearing clinics in the US.” Hearing Directory is Healthy Hearing’s sister site in Canada that “assists consumers on their journey to better health with a directory of audiologists, ENTs, and hearing clinics” in Canada.  

“We are excited to announce the new collaboration with Healthy Hearing and Hearing Directory,” said Ida Institute Managing Director Lise Lotte Bundesen. “This allows us to raise awareness about the value of person-centered care and the Inspired by Ida label among a large number of consumers, while providing the clinics listed on Healthy Hearing and Hearing Directory with a unique opportunity to show their dedication to person-centered care.”   

For more than 12 years, the Ida Institute has worked with hearing care professionals worldwide to enhance the quality of hearing care, developing a comprehensive portfolio of counseling tools and resources for professionals and patients. At its core is a focus on a person-centered approach that allows people to better articulate their needs and play a more active role in their own care. This “helps lead to better outcomes and helps people manage their hearing loss more effectively—which ultimately entails a higher degree of patient satisfaction.”

“Research shows that patients are most successful with hearing aids if they have developed a good relationship with their provider,” said Mandy Mroz, president of Healthy Hearing. “The I­nspired by Ida program allows professionals to enhance their counseling skills to better identify individual patient success factors and differentiate their practices. We’re delighted to add the Inspired by Ida label for clinics on Healthy Hearing and Hearing Directory. These clinics prioritize a person-centered approach.”

Hearing care professionals interested in the Inspired by Ida program can register for a free Ida Institute membership and go to the Ida Learning Hall to complete two required eLearning courses: “Getting Started with Person-Centered Care” and “Client Engagement and Ida Motivation Tools.”  Upon completion of the courses, practitioners are given the option to claim their personal online verification label, which they can share through their social media channels, websites, and emails, as well as their Healthy Hearing or Hearing Directory profile. 

For more information about the Inspired by Ida program, visit: www.idainstitute.com/inspired.

Source: Ida Institute

Images: Ida Institute

Videos feature speech-language pathologists, audiologists, Listening and Spoken Language Specialists, teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, early interventionists, otologists, and occupational therapists practicing in settings such as clinics, private practices, schools, hospitals, and the community. Topics addressed in the the text and videos include hearing technologies, aural rehabilitation procedures, factors that affect intervention outcomes, fundamentals of assessment, supports for education, counseling for children and adults with hearing loss, and the psychosocial well-being of persons with hearing loss and their families.

The Video-Based Aural Rehabilitation Guide can be used as a stand-alone text or as a companion alongside the most frequently used aural rehabilitation textbooks.

Title: Video-Based Aural Rehabilitation Guide: Enhancing Listening and Spoken Language in Children and Adults

Authors:  Linda  L. Daniel and Sneha V. Bharadwaj |  Published:      10/21/2019 | ISBN: 978-1-63550-112-4     

About The Authors

Linda Daniel, MS, MA, CCC-A, LSLS, Cert. AVT, is a Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist and licensed audiologist. As director of HEAR in Dallas, she provides listening and spoken language services to  individuals with hearing loss of all ages, many of whom have complex needs. Daniel specializes in the communication needs of children who have early- and late-identified hearing loss and adults with pre- and post-linguistic hearing loss. The children and adults in her practice have hearing aids, cochlear implants, and auditory brainstem implants. In her affiliation with the Dallas Hearing Foundation, she provides family-based services to children and adults who travel to Dallas from across the globe for hearing-related surgeries, hearing technologies, audiological, and aural rehabilitative services. For 45 years, Daniel has presented at professional conferences in the United States and abroad.

Sneha V. Bharadwaj, PhD, CCC-SLP,  is an associate professor in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Texas Woman’s University, where she has been a faculty member since 2009. She obtained her doctoral degree from the University of Texas at Dallas—Callier Center for Communication Disorders, where she also served as a research scientist for 4 years. She has been a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist for 20 years. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in communication sciences and disorders offered on campus as well as in the distance venues. Her research focuses on speech production, cognitive, and literacy outcomes in children with hearing loss.

Source: Plural Publishing

Image: Plural Publishing

Launched in 2016, EUHA TV is aimed at providing know-how so that people can delve into individual topics after the Congress, at home. Described as an “ideal tool” for anyone who wishes to deal with certain issues more extensively. It also helps hearing aid acousticians to “individually and flexibly” improve their skills. The original language versions also include the presentation slides. 

EUHA President Beate Gromke said, “EUHA TV is a step towards the future. Not only are the service hours for our customers becoming more flexible, but so are the personal further education and advanced vocational training options for hearing aid acousticians—that’s really state of the art. Members of our line of business can use time slots for individual knowledge updates—at home, while traveling, when customer appointments are cancelled on short notice, or when the need arises to quickly find information on certain topics.”

For EUHA members and holders of season tickets for the 2019 EUHA Congress, access to EUHA TV is free of charge. Online access can be ordered by contacting the EUHA office via www.euha.org or www.euha.tv. Non-members pay 99 euros. Online access will be open until September 30, 2020. Contributions from the Congress opening are available free for anyone.

Source: EUHA

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The partnership is said to be part of Ida’s larger effort to engage with organizations around the world to strengthen and promote a culture of person-centered care (PCC) in audiology by teaming up with professional organizations, patient associations, and universities around the world. This marks the first time the Ida Institute has partnered with a consumer outlet, extending the PCC agenda directly to a practice network of 34 Leightons’ clinics and over 100 Hearing Care Partnership practices around the UK.

“Leightons is an organization committed to the values of person-centered care. We are extremely happy to be partnering with them and look forward to working together to strengthen the provision of PCC throughout their network,” said Lise Lotte Bundesen, managing director of the Ida Institute.

A holistic approach

The partnership will include activities such as training staff in Ida tools and methods, as well as collaboration on the development and testing of new tools and resources for PCC.

“Person-centered care starts from within,” said Ryan Leighton, CEO of Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care. “Teaming up with one of the world’s most esteemed knowledge hubs for person-centered hearing care will allow us to infuse our clinical activity and customer service with PCC.”

Ryan Leighton, CEO of Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care and Lise Lotte Bundesen, managing director of the Ida Institute.

Leightons has already launched an internal training program aimed at strengthening the involvement of communication partners in the appointment. They are using Ida ethnographic videos to help optometry staff become more aware of the importance of hearing and of the specific challenges related to hearing loss, building a bridge between the different areas of expertise within the company.

“Our goal is to enable people to live life to the fullest through understanding the link between hearing, vision, and health,” said Leighton. “Collaboration with the Ida Institute allows us to enhance our holistic approach to care, and perhaps even expand some of the Ida Institute methods and tools to our optometry services.”

About Leighton Opticians & Hearing Care and The Hearing Care Partnership

Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care is a family-run business established in 1928. Led by CEO Ryan Leighton, the founder’s grandson, the company operates 34 practices in South East UK and continues to differentiate and elevate the customer experience with a focus on clinical care, fashion, and technology. Leightons’ sister company, The Hearing Care Partnership, serves over 100 independent opticians with a dedicated audiology service.

Source: Ida Institute, Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care, The Hearing Care Partnership

Image: Ida Institute, Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care, The Hearing Care Partnership