Thank you to all who attended the 66th Annual IHS Convention & Expo. It truly was a homecoming for all of our friends and supporters. We are grateful for your support and look forward to seeing you next year in Glendale, AZ!
PRE-CONVENTION WORKSHOPS
The 66th Annual IHS Convention & Expo offers four amazing Pre-convention Workshops. Space is limited. Register now before they fill up!
CONTINUING
EDUCATION
Attendees can earn up to 18.5 CEs from seminars, workshops, Chapter Leadership Conference, Licensing Board Conference, IHS Annual Membership Meeting, Friday General Session meeting and the Saturday Keynote presentation.
STAY AT THE AMAZING HILTON ATLANTA
Experience the style and sophistication of Hilton Atlanta, located in the heart of the city, within walking distance to several world-famous attractions.
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Dynamic World-class Speakers
IHS has a long history of partnering with world-class speakers and presenters, and this year is no exception. The 2017 66th Annual IHS Convention & Expo boasts seminars, keynote presentations and workshops presented by dynamic industry-leading presenters. Earn up to 18.5 CEs at this year’s IHS Convention & Expo.
World-Class SpeakersFind out more about our industry-leading speakers and presenters
Bopanna B. Ballachanda, PhD
Bopanna B. Ballachanda, PhD, holds a doctoral degree in auditory neurophysiology from the University of Texas-Dallas and is the founder and CEO of Premier Hearing Center, which has several audiology clinics in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. He has worked as an Assistant Professor of Audiology at Purdue University and an Associate Professor in Speech and Hearing Sciences, and an adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of New Mexico. Ballachanda is also a member of several professional and scientific societies, and has published articles in peer-reviewed and clinical journals. He spearheaded the first cerumen management workshop for audiologists in 1992 and is nationally and internationally recognized for his workshops and lectures on cerumen management. He was a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery task force that developed and published “Clinical practice guideline: Cerumen impaction” in 2008. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Audiology.
Brian Taylor, AuD
Brian Taylor, AuD is a consultant for the Fuel Medical Group and Hypersound. Brian is an adjunct professor for A.T. Still University Arizona School of Health Sciences and editor of Audiology Practices, the quarterly journal of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. He is also the editor of the Hearing News section of the Hearing Health and Technology Matters (HHTM), the most widely read blog in the industry. He has written four books, including the 2nd Edition of Hearing Aid Selection and Fitting, published in September, 2016. Taylor lives in Golden Valley, MN
C.W. Miller
C.W. Miller, the founder and president of Custom Training Concepts, has been creating high performance teams in a variety of industries for more than 25 years. He is known nationwide for his inspirational keynotes, thought provoking seminars and highly interactive workshops. He has authored over 100 articles and training programs dealing with human interaction, emotional intelligence, leadership and management. His focus on the human interaction skills of leaders has created positive impacts in healthcare, manufacturing, state agencies, education and the military, as well as in professional associations, non-profit, civic, and church organizations.
Nineteen years of his career were spent in Chicago helping build a small organization into one of the leaders in the healthcare industry. During this time, C.W. attended Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and in 1990 was named Manager of the Year at Everest Healthcare Services. He was elected to Who’s Who in Science and Industry, sat on standards committees with the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, served as president of the National Association of Nephrology Technologists and was on the editorial review board of Nephrology News and Issues.
In 1998 he was named Hot Springs (Arkansas) Civitan of the Year and received the Civitan International Distinguished President Award in 2000. As Governor of the Ozark District of Civitan in 2004-05 he earned the Distinguished Governor’s Award with his district finishing as the top district in the world in overall growth. As International Field Director for Club Development (2006-2010) he developed 17 new volunteer clubs in four states and in 2011 was presented with the prestigious Jim Berryman Civitan of the Decade award.
C.W. is a member of the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, served two terms as Chairman of the Board for the Hot Springs Village Chamber of Commerce. He is Vice President of the Hot Springs Village Community Foundation and past president of the Hot Springs Executive Association.
Carol Erickson, ACA, BC-HIS
Carol Erickson (Scott) ACA, BC-HIS is currently a hearing aid practice owner in Southern Calif. Erickson has a vast background in hearing healthcare. Before working with hearing aids, she worked extensively in occupational safety with an emphasis on hearing conservation. In addition to dispensing hearing aids, she worked for major hearing aid manufacturers as a factory representative, educator and trainer for 11 years. Erickson has been a guest speaker at many state and national hearing conventions over the years.
Chris Stokes-Rees
Chris Stokes-Rees joined Audioscan in 2004 and specializes in the area of real ear applications support and training. A familiar voice to adherents of Audioscan equipment, Chris presents regularly on the effective use of probe tube measurement to college/university classes and professional industry groups. He also holds a part-time faculty position in the Hearing Instrument Specialist diploma program at Conestoga College, Ontario, Canada and instructs the second year course in probe tube measures and manufacturer fitting software.
Christopher Gustafson, ACA, BC-HIS
Chris Gustafson has been a member of the International Hearing Society since 1980, serving the Society as chairman of the Ethics Committee, Membership Committee, Resource Development Committee, as well as serving on the Grievance Committee, Bylaws Committee and as a Board member of the Hearing Aid Foundation. He has also served as the President Elect 2007-2008, President 2009-2010, Immediate past President 2011-2012, and the International Ambassador 2011 – to present.
Gustafson has served the Oregon Hearing Society as President and Board Member and on the Oregon Governor’s Advisory Council on Hearing Aids, 1995-2008
He became Board Certified with the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (NBC-HIS) in January 1983. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Western Oregon University; is an American Conference of Audioprosthology (ACA) graduate (2004) and has an Associates in Applied Sciences – Hearing Instrument Specialist (June 2008) from Spokane Falls Community College.
Gustafson has presented on various topics for the International Hearing Society, The Oregon Hearing Society and the Washington Hearing Society as well as numerous Lions Club meetings.
Cindy Beyer, AuD
Cindy Beyer is the Vice President of Professional Services at HearUSA where she is responsible for managed care and strategic alliances within the industry. Working closely with managed hearing programs, she has a expertise in quality management, compliance and accreditation. Beyer has a Master of Science Degree from West Virginia University and a Doctorate Degree in Audiology from Salus University.
Doug Lewis, JD, PhD, AuD, MBA
Doug Lewis is President and Owner of Excalibur Business Consultants, LLC and Excalibur Hearing and Audiology, consulting in a wide range of areas involving healthcare, business, microenterprise development, and law while also maintaining a small law practice on the side. He also serve as a General Counsel and Compliance Officer for several other related organizations and works as a Consulting Clinical Audiologist for several entities and an ENT practice. He is an active faculty mMember for nine universities teaching in a wide variety of subject matters encompassing such areas as law and ethics, business, healthcare, clinical and administrative practice, science, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and medicine. Lewis is an instructor for the International Hearing Society’s ACA program and Chair of the IHS Institute for Education. He considers himself a lifelong adult learner, having earned an AuD degree along with a Ph.D, JD, three Masters Degrees, two Bachelors Degrees, and an Associates Degree. He maintains professional licensure and practices in Law, Clinical Audiology, Insurance, Securities Analysis, and Nursing Home Administration along with earning numerous association certifications and registries. It’s not all about work, although he does love to stay busy. In his off-time, he works out extensively and is founder and leader of the Columbus, Ohio-based Dance and Rock Band Paradygm Shyft.
Douglas L. Beck, MA, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA
Douglas Beck earned his Master’s Degree at the University of Buffalo (1984) and his Doctorate from the University of Florida. He began his career in Los Angeles at the House Ear Institute in cochlear implant research and intraoperative cranial nerve monitoring. By 1988, he was Director of Audiology at Saint Louis University. In 1996, he co-founded a multi-office dispensing practice in St Louis. In 1999, he became President and Editor-In-Chief of AudiologyOnline.com, SpeechPathology.com and HealthyHearing.com. Beck joined Oticon in 2005 as Director of Professional Relations. From 2008 through 2015, he served as Web Content Editor for the American Academy of Audiology (AAA). In 2016, Beck became Senior Editor for Clinical Research at the Hearing Review and was appointed adjunct Clinical Professor of Communication Disorders & Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 2017, he became the Executive Director of Academic Sciences for Oticon. Beck is among the most prolific authors in audiology with 161 published articles and more than 1200 abstracts, interviews and op-eds written for the AAA (2008-2015) and Audiology Online (1999-2005) addressing a wide variety of audiology and professional topics.
Kelly Dineen, RN, JD, PhD
Kelly Dineen is the director of the health law program at Creighton University School of Law. She has a clinical background in nursing, ranging from ICU care to the care of patients with implanted programmable devices. Dineen also practiced law and holds a PhD in healthcare ethics. She teaches healthcare law, bioethics and the law, and drug and device law. Her research focuses on legal and ethical issues in health care, as well as professional decision making.
Kelly Tremblay, PhD, CCC-A, FAAA
Kelly Tremblay is a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. She has a 30-year history of serving and advocating for people with hearing loss. As an audiologist and educator, she teaches graduate students how to prevent, assess and treat hearing loss. As a scientist, she studies the effects of hearing loss and hearing prosthesis on the brain, in addition to the public health benefits of intervention for our aging society. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is published in top-tier medical journals. As an advocate, her list of activities is long, but some recent examples include: presenting on hearing loss with the HLAA Washington State Association at the Washington State Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Disability, and serving on Guideline Development Committees for the World Health Organization. Tremblay was elected to the HLAA Board of Trustees in May 2016.
Michael Harvey
Michael Harvey provides training and consultation on mental health issues for persons with hearing loss. As a Clinical Psychologist, he has a private practice in Framingham, Mass., and had been a consultant faculty at Salus University, where he has taught on-line courses relating to the psychosocial aspects of hearing loss. In addition to more than 40 articles, his books include Listen with the Heart: Relationships and Hearing Loss, The Odyssey of Hearing Loss: Tales of Triumph, Psychotherapy with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons: A Systemic Model, and a co-edited book entitled Culturally Affirmative Psychotherapy with Deaf Persons.
Nicholas Pitt
Nicholas Pitt is a third generation Hearing Instrument Specialist with a strong background in education and leadership. His family’s practice, Optimal Hearing, has been a leader in Georgia and South Carolina since his grandfather entered the hearing industry in 1958. His background in Risk Management and Insurance (UGA c/o 2005) has led him to explore the intricacies and future landscape of the relationship between hearing health and insurance. His passion for linguistics and foreign language study led him down the path of international education, having been involved in education on four different continents. He changed career paths in 2011 and entered the family business after 10 years of international education. Pitt currently resides in Athens, Georgia with his wife, Amber, and his two young children.
Stephen A. Hallenbeck, AuD
Stephen A. Hallenbeck, AuD, is a Manager of Product Training within the Training and Education Global Audiology team at GN Resound. In this role, Hallenbeck regularly conducts seminars for practitioners and end users around the globe using the theoretical and practical experience gained while developing cutting edge technology. Prior to joining GN, Hallenbeck provided a full range of diagnostic and rehabilitative services in hospital and private practice settings, as well consultative services related to industrial hearing conservation. He continues to be an active member of the American Academy of Audiology and the Illinois Academy of Audiology. Hallenbeck earned his Doctor of Audiology degree from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago where he currently holds an adjunct faculty position.
Suzanne Younker, AuD
Suzanne Younker has been a licensed audiologist in the state of Florida for the past 28 years. She has a strong background in clinical audiology and is a consumer and professional advocate for audiology services throughout the state. Professionally, Younker is the Audiology Services Manager at HearUSA in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with previous and current management role experiences in Customer Service, Quality Management, Telehealth Services, Clinical Training and Procedure Development. Younker has served on the Florida Academy of Audiology’s Executive Board as President in 2008 and continues to serve on the Florida Audiology Review Committee for Children’s Medical Services.
Wendy Switalski, MBA, AuD
Wendy Switalski is the Audiology Development Manager at Audiology Systems Inc. Prior to joining the company, Switalski owned a private audiology practice in metro-Detroit and served as a consultant to Otometrics, specializing in probe microphone measurement technology. In addition to her role with Audiology Systems, she also provides quarterly hearing care in the South Pacific territory of American Samoa. Switalski holds an MBA from Saginaw Valley State University and a Doctor of Audiology degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, School of Audiology.
CONVENTION SCHEDULE
Hearing healthcare professionals are constantly probing the outer ear for the placement of earphones, microphones, hearing aid placement and fitting. The pinna and auricle are important organs for directing the sound to the middle and inner ear. These two structures play a significant role in shaping and conducting the free field sound to the inner structures. Any changes in the structure of function of the outer ear can change the perception of the sound. Attendees of this workshop will have a better understanding of the outer ear, including; physiology, pathophysiologic changes and changes caused by insertion of hearing aids to human hearing.
• Limited to 50 participants
• Introductory Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
• Fee: $89 before 6.30.17
• This workshop qualifies for the two (2) Medical continuing education hours per biennium as required by the Georgia State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Dispensers and the Alabama Board of Hearing Instrument Dealers.
IHS chapter leaders and administrators are invited and encouraged to attend this “not to be missed” day-long exchange of information, ideas, and comradery. Attendees for this exclusive, invite-only event will hear from chapter leaders and IHS staff about key topics and initiatives affecting the industry and the members they serve. They will also interact with IHS’ regional governors and their regional partners to develop solutions on challenges and opportunities facing chapters such as membership recruitment, administrative functions, legislative and regulatory advocacy, events, and more.
5 Continuing Education Credits
With the current market shifts on changing distribution patterns for hearing instrument fitting, the role of the services associated with the devices is even more important. The need for consistent use of best practices in fitting amplification is documented in fitting guidelines, research and countless publications. Unfortunately, the actual application of these tools in daily clinical practice is often limited for varied reasons. This presentation addresses this gap by highlighting best practices (including speech-in-noise evaluation, probe microphone measurements and subjective /objective benefit assessment) that can have a strong positive impact on fittings, but can still be implemented efficiently. Included will be an overview, tips on clinical application and a discussion of the impact they have on patient care.
• Limited to 50 participants
• Intermediate Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
• Fee: $89 before 6.30.17
• This workshop qualifies for the two (2) Patient Management continuing education hours per biennium as required by the Georgia State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Dispensers and the Alabama Board of Hearing Instrument Dealers.
An opportunity to discuss emerging public policy issues facing licensing authorities across the country, the annual IHS Licensing Board Conference draws hearing aid specialist licensing board members, administrators, and chapter leaders from all jurisdictions. Participants will engage in an open dialogue with peers in an attendee-led forum. Topics are expected to include over the counter sales, licensing requirements, consumer protection, and more. IHS Government Affairs staff will be on hand to provide an update on legislative and regulatory activities and to answer questions.
1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Risks and liability associated with delivery of care increases every year, and hearing aid dispensing is not immune. The cost of providing and receiving healthcare continues to rise while complex diagnoses and care options also increase. All areas of care, from testing to fitting to documenting, must be scrutinized for potential challenges that could result in a compromised patient experience. Understanding the risks involved will improve the quality of care and reduce costs associated with poor outcomes.This workshop will review the common error types in hearing aid dispensing while offering recommendations for better quality assurance in our daily practice to prevent potential medial errors.
• Limited to 50 participants
• Intermediate Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
• Fee: $89 before 6.30.17
• This workshop qualifies for the two (2) Patient Management continuing education hours per biennium as required by the Georgia State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and Dispensers and the Alabama Board of Hearing Instrument Dealers.
• This workshop qualifies for the “Mandatory Hours” per biennium on Medical Errors as required by the Florida Board of Hearing Aid Specialists.
The Georgia Aquarium may be docked on dry land in downtown Atlanta, but dive inside and you’ll discover more than 10 million gallons of water, home to more animals than any other aquarium. The aquarium features a number of exhibits that are sure to reel you in such as Cold Water Quest, Ocean Voyager, River Scout, Aquanaut Adventure and Tropical Diver.
America’s largest aquarium is home to tens of thousands of animals including 500 species from around the world and more than 60 habitats. The largest exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium measures 284 feet long x 126 feet wide x 30 feet deep at the maximum depth. It holds 6.3 million gallons of water. The second largest exhibit holds 800,000 gallons of water and is home to four beluga whales.
Fee: $40/person
*Includes shuttle bus transportation to and from the Aquarium
If you no longer matter to your customers and clients, they will leave you and race to your
competitors. Relevance is a moving target. In this presentation you will learn how to create a culture that is able to adapt and evolve with new industry trends; as well as realign your go-to-market tactics to best serve your customer’s shifting buying habits.
Presented by Ross Shafer, six-time Emmy Award-winning Comedian, Writer, Network TV host and Best-selling Author of Nobody Moved Your Cheese!
• Sponsored by: Starkey Hearing Technologies
• 1 Continuing Education Credit
With the rising incidence of patients having some form of hearing aid coverage and changes to the hearing healthcare delivery system being considered at the federal level, it is imperative for hearing aid practices to strengthen their ability to compete through third-party participation. This seminar will review essential aspects of managed care participation based on IHS’s soon to be released resource: “Hearing Healthcare Professionals’ Guide to Third Party Participation.” Covering topics like credentialing, electronic health records, billing strategies, and relevant laws and rules, this overview will give attendees the confidence and knowledge needed to get started, make the best use of the Guide, and obtain answers from seasoned practitioners. Attendees will be given the tools to strategically address these challenges and thrive in the changing payment and referral marketplace.
• Intermediate Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Hearing loss can be psychologically traumatic, a visit to a hearing healthcare professional may trigger a complex series of post-trauma reactions leading to patient resistance. This seminar outlines intervention strategies borrowed from the disciplines of psychotherapy and family systems theory, specifically, motivational interviewing, family systems interventions, and the utilization of traumatic transference. Attendees will be able to describe how hearing healthcare professionals can appropriately apply techniques to assist patients who are ambivalent or resistant to their recommendations without exceeding their boundaries, professional competence or scope of practice.
• Intermediate Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Tinnitus is a common problem for millions of individuals and can cause substantial negative effects on their quality of life. Despite the high prevalence of tinnitus and its potential significant effect on quality of life, there are no evidence-based, multidisciplinary clinical practice guidelines to assist clinicians with management. A large epidemiologic study of tinnitus and its management patterns in the US adult population is lacking. This seminar will focus on evidence-based information and/or case studies to focus on the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus, and how hearing instruments can make an impact.
• Intermediate Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Don’t miss an opportunity to learn about the US Federal OTC bill and other regulatory updates during the IHS Membership Meeting! This is your opportunity for IHS members to stay in the know about their Society and current/future initiative updates critical to the success of the profession. Better understand how their annual dues and advocacy donations are being used for the betterment of the members, the industry and the profession by attending. Lunch will be served.
This seminar will focus on common and emerging situations that present ethical and legal challenges for hearing healthcare professionals. A foundation of ethical and legal principles to ground the discussion will be provided, with attention to fiduciary obligations of hearing healthcare professionals. Situations that may strain those fiduciary obligations, including those that create conflicts of interest, will be explored. These include issues such as manufacturer incentives based on device selection and balancing business marketing and promotion with patient/client expectations and privacy. Strategies to recognize, minimize, and manage conflicts will be offered. The legal and ethical implications of public responses to problems of access, affordability, and quality will also be discussed, including the role of over-the-counter devices and coverage mandates.
• Introductory Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
• This seminar qualifies for the 2 hours of jurisprudence (Georgia Laws and Rules) and/or ethics education hours per biennium as required by the Georgia State Board of Hearing Aid Dealers.
Despite the impressive and increasing sophistication of modern hearing instruments, the single most important factor with regard to hearing instrument satisfaction is how well the human brain can listen. Specifically, hearing is the perception of sound, listening and the ability to attribute meaning to sound. The most challenging situation for people with hearing loss is understanding speech in noise, which is arguably both a hearing and a listening problem. This seminar will examine human (cognitive) factors and hearing aid attributes which must be maximally applied for people to maximally understand speech in noise, as well as peer reviewed and contemporary literature to see how meeting the acoustic needs of the human brain might better serve overall cognitive and auditory outcomes.
• Intermediate Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
Educated evidence-based decisions grounded in research are critical within a clinical environment. This seminar will review the most current research in adult amplification and how findings of this research can be used to make better clinical decisions. Topics will include implementation of new hearing aid features, pre-fitting strategies and outcome measures.
• Intermediate Level
• 2 Continuing Education Credits
Today’s sophisticated hearing instruments have an abundance of assistive listening options including wireless technology and accessory devices designed to enhance the hearing aid fitting. Hearing healthcare professionals have a responsibility to educate and advise prospective patients/clients about the benefits of amplification as well as the assistive options available to best meet their hearing loss and lifestyle needs. Each patient/client is unique and may have different priorities for what he or she wants and needs to hear more clearly. This seminar will focus on the benefits and limitations of common ALD’s and wireless technologies, as well as selecting appropriate solutions for the needs of the patient/client while improving hearing performance in noise and increasing their satisfaction.
• Intermediate Level
• 1 Continuing Education Credit
One thing that we can all count on in life, is change. Most of us are either in the process of change, reflecting on past changes or worrying about changes ahead in our future. Many times, all three happen simultaneously. Change is easier to accept and handle when we take control of the change process and direct it in such a way that it is more tolerable and comfortable for us. What if we could be the change agent? How much more could we accomplish if we understood the process and were able to lay out an effective plan that could help individuals be less fearful and more engaged? This seminar offers an interactive practice to better understand the process of change and how to best respond. Attendees will have a better understanding of why individuals are resistant to change and be able to draft a basic four-step plan for implementing change, as well as apply leadership skills to serve as a change agent.
• Intermediate Level
• 1 Continuing Education Credit
With the trends in changing distribution patterns and regulations for hearing instruments, it is more important than ever to place careful thought into the services provided throughout the hearing care process. Speech in Noise testing is not only commonly included in best practice guidelines but is also recognized as an important tool for maximizing client satisfaction. This seminar will provide an overview of SIN tests and highlight the ease of administration. Focus will also be given on interpretation and application of results from hearing instrument selection decisions to counseling and fitting validation.
• Intermediate Level
• 1 Continuing Education Credit
Keep your finger on the pulse of the hearing healthcare industry and discover the latest products and services to help you grow your practice from industry-leading companies that you know and respect. Stroll through the exhibit hall, grab a bite to eat and connect with key industry staff to learn more about their products/services and the latest industry news and trends. Many exhibitors debut their latest products and offer Expo specials to attendees. Be sure to make the most of your time on the Expo floor by lining up your business needs with the exhibitor descriptions listed in the Expo directory.
Did you know you can earn 1 CE credit in the Expo Hall? Visit the Walk, Learn & Earn page under the Expo menu to get all the details.
An annual attendee favorite, the IHS Silent Auction provides a fun way to acquire both unique items and exclusive industry-related products at great prices while supporting IHS’ advocacy efforts. Be sure to visit the Silent Auction tables to check out these great products and place your bids!
All proceeds from the Silent Auction go directly to benefit IHS’ legislative and regulatory initiatives in the United States and Canada at both the federal and state/provincial levels. This includes fighting against over the counter sales, engaging with the FDA and FTC, licensing requirements and board integrity, and payer advocacy. To learn more about IHS’ Advocacy Alliance, visit www.ihsinfo.org/advocacy.
Hearing technology for a fraction of the cost, and claiming to offer everything that hearing healthcare professionals do. The world is changing into one in which expertise is no longer valued, and over-the-counter hearing aids are seen as positive. Hearing healthcare professionals are facing a barrage of challenges from every direction like never before, and it often feels like there’s nothing you can do. But there is, it’s called Guerrilla Earcare – a strategy for remaining relevant and differentiating yourself in a constantly changing marketplace. Presented by Curtis Alcock, Hearing Practice Owner, Guest Lecturer and Founder of Audira.info.
1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Sponsored by: Oticon
In the last few years there has been a lot of “buzz” about hearing aids and the brain. When people come into a hearing healthcare office/clinic it is difficult to sort through all of the science on this topic in an attempt to answer their questions. This seminar will present “hot topics in neuroscience” and explain the importance of getting sound to the brain, and using it. This presentation will also touch on new resources that are available to hearing healthcare professionals and the general public. Attendees will be provided educational tools and resources that can be shared with geriatric clientele to help them meet their individual communication needs.
• Introductory Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
As hearing instrument technology continually advances, hearing healthcare professionals can benefit from practical tools and techniques to verify and demonstrate the effectiveness of new features to their clients/patients. Real ear measurement is a valuable tool for the hearing healthcare professional that has made sigificant advancements, from insertion gain to output measures. With the widespread availability of sophisticated technology found in today’s hearing instruments, verification using up-to-date techniques is even more crucial. This seminar will highlight how real ear verification techniques, such as SpeechMap testing, can easily be used to reliably achieve the best balance between audibility and listening comfort for the client/patient regardless of the technology level of the hearing instrument.
• Introductory Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Comprehensive and accurate assessment of the peripheral auditory system is the cornerstone of good clinical practice. The fundamentals covered in this seminar will provide the basis of every hearing instrument fitting in a modern hearing care practice and is intended to provide a review of techniques used to perform audiometric testing using IHS testing protocols. This seminar will focus on techniques for air and bone conduction threshold and suprathreshold testing, effective masking, speech audiometry and immittance audiometry.
• Intermediate Level
• 1.5 Continuing Education Credits
Keep your finger on the pulse of the hearing healthcare industry and discover the latest products and services to help you grow your practice from industry-leading companies that you know and respect. Stroll through the exhibit hall, grab a bite to eat and connect with key industry staff to learn more about their products/services and the latest industry news and trends. Many exhibitors debut their latest products and offer Expo specials to attendees. Be sure to make the most of your time on the Expo floor by lining up your business needs with the exhibitor descriptions listed in the Expo directory.
Did you know you can earn 1 CE credit in the Expo Hall? Visit the Walk, Learn & Earn page under the Expo menu to get all the details.
An annual attendee favorite, the IHS Silent Auction provides a fun way to acquire both unique items and exclusive industry-related products at great prices while supporting IHS’ advocacy efforts. Be sure to visit the Silent Auction tables to check out these great products and place your bids!
All proceeds from the Silent Auction go directly to benefit IHS’ legislative and regulatory initiatives in the United States and Canada at both the federal and state/provincial levels. This includes fighting against over the counter sales, engaging with the FDA and FTC, licensing requirements and board integrity, and payer advocacy. To learn more about IHS’ Advocacy Alliance, visit www.ihsinfo.org/advocacy.
This meeting satisfies the requirement for the (1) hour Alabama laws and rules necessary to maintain an Alabama license. For additional information visit Alabama Board of Hearing Instrument Dealers Board website.
In this inspirational and captivating presentation, Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, USAF, Ret, gives a rare behind-the-scenes account of his action-packed experiences as an Ace combat pilot during the Vietnam War and how he became the only pilot in history to shoot down five MIG-21 enemy fighter jets, a record that will probably never be equaled. General Ritchie draws parallels in teamwork, discipline, integrity and leadership between his esteemed military and business careers.
Originally from Reidsville, NC, General Ritchie began his Air Force career as a cadet at the Air Force Academy in the class of 1964 and was a
starting halfback for the Falcons playing his final game in the 1963 Gator Bowl. In 1965 Steve Ritchie graduated first in his class in Air Force pilot training at Laredo AFB, TX and four yrs later became one of the youngest instructors ever at
the Air Force “Top Gun” Fighter Weapon School, Nellis AFB, NV. He was one of the few Second Lieutenants selected to fly the F-104, Starfighter immediately following initial pilot training. And, he is the only pilot in the world to became re-certified in the Starfighter more than 40 years later. Brigadier General Ritchie is the only Air Force Pilot Ace since the Korean War.
During his second combat tour in Southeast Asia in 1972, then Capt. Ritchie became the only American pilot in history to down 5 MiG-21 enemy fighter airplanes, a record that will probably never be equaled. During his 2 combat tours he became one of the most decorated pilots in Air Force history, including:
– The Air Force Cross (our nation’s second highest award)
– 4 Silver Stars
– 10 Distinguished Flying Crosses
– 25 Air Medals
General Ritchie speaks from experiences that have given him unique insight used to motivate and empower audiences to see more clearly and appreciate our freedoms.
1 Continuing Education Credit
Sponsored by Phonak
Join us for an exciting and glamorous evening at the IHS Awards Gala as we celebrate outstanding achievements by IHS chapters, members and hearing healthcare leaders. Enjoy a delectable dinner, entertainment and the camaraderie of your fellow colleagues.
Evening attire recommended, black-tie optional.
Event Sponsors and Partners
