SPEAKERS

Michael Valente, PhD (Biography)
Selection, Verification and Validation of Hearing Aid Performance in Adults (Details)

Molly Ann Justus AuD, BC-HIS (Biography)
Implants and the Synergistic Effect of Contralateral Amplification. Why These Two Devices Are Not Mutually Exclusive (Details)

Bill Poncer (Biography)
Topic:  Money Management, Tomorrow May Be Too Late ! (Details)

Michael Phillips (Biography)
ITE Modification & Cerumen-related Repair (Details)

Sergei Kochkin, PhD (Biography)
Marke Trak VII: New Opportunities for Promoting Hearing Solutions (Details)
Integrating National and Local Promotion of Hearing Solutions (Details)

Michael Valente, PhD
Michael Valente is Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology and Director of Adult Audiology at Washington University School of Medicine. He has been at Washington University in this role for 20 years. His editorial responsibilities include the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology where he is the Assistant Editor-Amplification, American Journal of Audiology, Ear and Hearing and the International Journal of Audiology where he is Editor at Large. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1975.  He had edited several textbooks that include Strategies for Selecting and Verifying Hearing Aid Performance, Thieme Medical Publishers, 1994 and 2002 (2nd edition); Hearing Aids: Standards, Options and Limitations, Thieme Medical Publishers, 1994 and 2002 (2nd edition); Audiology: Diagnosis, Audiology: Treatment and Audiology: Practice Management, Thieme Medical Publishers, 2000 and 2007(With Ross Roeser and Holly Hosford-Dunn).  His interests are spending time with his beautiful wife Maureen who is an Assistant Professor and Director of Audiology Studies at Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences (PACS) at Washington University His daughter Michelle who is working in Chicago and pursuing her graduate degree in counseling and his other Anne is beginning graduate work in journalism at the University of Illinois. Mike enjoys travel, jogging (once ran a marathon), cycling, and reading (non-fiction).
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Molly Ann Justus AuD, BC-HIS
Trained as a clinical audiologist, who spent 32 years in private otology practices, hearing aid dispensaries both private and associated with physicians, clinical research in a large medical center. Has held hearing aid licenses in Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina. Has done diagnostic and rehabilitation of hearing and balance disorders in medical centers. Served on the NC Hearing Aid Dealers Licensing Board on the Exam Committee, has been a member of IHS (NHAS) since 1982 and became Board Certified in 1983. Holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-A) from ASHA since 1975 and Fellow of American Academy of Audiology since 1988. She has served as an Instructor for NC Hearing Care Professionals and their apprentices in the hearing aid field. She is currently an ACA instructor and served in that capacity for many years.  Has served as a research coordinator on various cochlear implant trials, Meniett trial and worked closely with percutaneous cochlear implants and the RTI team to develop better implants. Has published articles and presented data on her two passions in the field: early deafened and cochlear implants and therapy for Meniere’s patients.
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Bill Poncer
Bill Poncer is the owner of Millennium Financial Service established 26 years ago in Danville, KY. Mr. Poncer has over 100 corporate accounts and over 800 business accounts. He specializes in bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll, incorporation and LLC filing.
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Michael Phillips
Michael Phillips is a leading expert in custom ITE production and in-office hearing instrument repair. Michael has been employed with Unitron Hearing for twenty-one years, fifteen of which he has been presenting the repair seminar in university, convention and hearing health care office settings. He has authored video ITE fabrication training programs for staff, international customers and in-office repair for Au.D. Distance learning programs.
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Sergei Kochkin, PhD
Dr. Kochkin is Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute in Alexandria Virginia. Previously he was Director of Market Development & Market Research at Knowles Electronics, chairman of the Market Development Committee of the Hearing Industries Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Better Hearing Institute for six years, and past editor of the peer reviewed journal High Performance Hearing Solutions.  He has conducted extensive research on the hearing-impaired population in the United States, is the author of close to 60 publications on the hearing-impaired population, and has spoken worldwide concerning his research.

Prior to joining Knowles, he worked eight years for United Airlines as market research manager, industrial psychologist, and marketing performance manager.

His formal education includes: 
Ph.D. - Industrial Psychology (emphasis quantitative methods), 
MBA - Marketing, 
MS - Guidance and Counseling, 
BA -Anthropology.
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Topics covered include:
Instrument opening, instrument closure, volume control and microphone cap replacement, wax guard system removal and insertion, replacement of ohm filters (2k), installation and repair of removal handles, shell patching and canal buildup to include Acrylic and UV materials.  This seminar will also detail the use of common and specialized tools as they relate to hearing instrument repair.  Participants will then be able to equip their office for advanced hearing instrument in-office modification and repair.

All tools and hearing instruments will be provided by Unitron Hearing for this hands-on presentation.  A few beginning supplies will be given to each participant.  Other tools may be ordered after the session if desired.

This session will take 4 hours to complete and will be limited to sixty participants.  This seminar is “hands-on”.  Dress should be casual.
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Marke Trak VII: New Opportunities for Promoting Hearing Solutions
Abstract: In MarkeTrak VII we review 21 year trends in the hearing health industry as well as customer satisfaction with hearing aids. Newly covered topics include: the impact of untreated hearing loss on income and an exploration of America's 1.2 million hearing-impaired children and 23 million adults currently not using amplification.

Summary: In this five part presentation we will explore relevant 21 year trends in the hearing healthcare industry including: demography of hearing aid owners and non-owners, distribution, pricing, first-time users, physician screening for hearing loss. In a study of 44,000 households we will demonstrate the impact of untreated hearing loss on income but more importantly the mitigating effect of hearing aids. The latest customer satisfaction research on digital hearing aids will demonstrate we have made significant advances in satisfying customers now that digital hearing aids are 50% of fittings. Of concern is the fact that 1.2 million children in America have hearing loss yet do not use hearing aids. This follow-up study on 250 children explore the reasons for non-adoption of hearing aid technology. Do these children have transitory ear infections, are they all surgery candidates, or is there systemic misinformation and neglect of these children? The objective data will be supported with essays from parents. Finally we again quantify up to 75 reasons why America’s 23 million unamplified adults are still sitting on the side-lines (late 2006). These research findings serve as input into the second learning module: Integrating National and Local Promotion. The goal is to leverage this research in our promotions as a means of increasing the number of American’s seeking a hearing solution earlier in their life then the current age 70. 
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Integrating National and Local Promotion of Hearing Solutions
Abstract: Only 23% of people with hearing loss adopt a hearing solution. New users of hearing aids are 70 years of age.  Yet 65% of people with hearing loss are below retirement age. In line with National efforts at the BHI what can hearing health professionals do to promote hearing healthcare in their communities to enhance the chances that more people with hearing loss, while in the prime of their life, seek their services?  

Summary: Are people with hearing loss motivated to seek the services of a hearing healthcare professional by promises of invisibility, free hearing tests, marketing of new digital hearing aid models, discounts on hearing aids, or a visiting expert? Perhaps these techniques work for people who are ready for a hearing aid but it is unlikely that they are effective in motivating new users. There are more deep seated issues which serve as obstacles for people adopting a hearing solution earlier in their life: stigma, denial, knowledge of hearing healthcare, perception of need, physician reluctance to recommend, misinformation, myths about hearing loss and hearing aids, poor perceptions of the hearing healthcare process and hearing aids, price of hearing aids, etc. In this seminar we present a comprehensive model for moving people from denial to acceptance enhancing the likelihood that they will seek out the services of a hearing healthcare professional. We will explore the mission, strategy and current and future tactics of the Better Hearing Institute for promoting hearing solutions. In addition, we present some methods for the local practitioner to promote their practices in their communities using tools from the Better Hearing Institute. Our overall goal is to form a grassroots partnership with local practitioners as a means of increasing traffic into their offices.
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Selection, Verification and Validation of Hearing Aid Performance in Adults
This presentation will provide an overview of the recent AAA Guideline for selecting, verifying, and validating hearing aid fittings for adults and how this guideline can be implemented into a busy practice. This protocol includes a] a comprehensive audiometric evaluation; b] loudness discomfort measures in dB SPL near the TM; c] assessment of motivation; d] counseling on hearing aid options including microphone and signal processing options; e] electroacoustic measures of hearing aid performance; f] unaided and aided outcome measures; g] real ear performance for linear signal processing, nonlinear signal processing and RESR90l h] loudness judgments for speech at 50, 65 and 80 dB SPL
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Implants and the Synergistic Effect of Contralateral Amplification. Why These Two Devices Are Not Mutually Exclusive
A two hour power-point presentation on the cochlear implant, middle ear implant, BAHA and hybrid implants  describing the candidacy criteria, how the implants work and outcome measurements. This is retrospective study done on the various implants and bimodal hearing and the outcome measurements of speech in noise, directionality, head shadow effect and music appreciation with various technology. It stresses the importance of fitting the contralateral ear with amplification even well after the device has been implanted. Speech perception is clearly enhanced when contralateral amplification is applied.
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Money Management, Tomorrow May Be Too Late !
This course will establish an understanding of your business finances and how to keep more of what you make.  You will establish a working knowledge of  profit and loss  statements, cost of goods,  updates of current tax changes and which is better Incorporating or Limited Liability Corp.  Understand how and when small business' should pay their bills, and what records should be kept and for how long. 
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