TORONTO-An estimated 31 million Americans are affected by some level of hearing loss and, as the population ages, that number will continue to rise. That equates to a steadily increasing demand for hearing aids, which in turn equates to an increasing demand for health care professionals qualified to dispense those hearing aids. And who, more than an otolaryngologist, is qualified and better positioned to step up and meet that demand? Answer: No one.
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November 2006That was the consensus of a panel of hearing loss experts, who convened to discuss the subject at the recent American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) annual meeting here.
Hearing aids are well within the scope of practice for the otolaryngologist, probably more so than any professional in the industry, said Brad H. Volkmer, MBA, President and CEO of EPIC Hearing Health Care, who served as moderator for the discussion.