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08:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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MVP
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Auracast is Here, Now What?
Auracast, used as part of an assistive listening system, is on track to become a reality. This could put you, your patients, and hearing accessibility in the spotlight in your community. What is the role of audiologists in improving hearing access in communities? Is it time to start advocating for Auracast installations? How might one advocate for Auracast while still supporting existing assistive listening systems, such as hearing loops and FM systems in use in the area? This session will address key considerations for successful Auracast ALS deployment, educate patients on the importance of assistive listening, and integrate advocacy for Auracast installations in a busy practice. Practical handouts will be shared.
Learning Objectinves:
- Upon completion, participants will describe 2 ways to promote the use of existing assistive listening systems and two ways to foster new Auracast installations.
- Upon completion, participants will be able to explain how Auracast ALS can work for users of Auracast-enabled and Auracast-incompatible hearing instruments, as well as non-hearing-aid users.
- Upon completion, participants will describe one in-office and one out-of-office validation measure of the built-in ADA-Access-Ready hearing instrument features that provide hearing access to all assistive listening systems.
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Going the Extra Hertz: Making the Case for Extended High-Frequency Testing
Explores the clinical and research-based value of assessing hearing beyond the conventional 8,000 Hz range. This presentation reviews key literature supporting extended high-frequency (EHF) testing as an early indicator of auditory dysfunction, highlights compellling real-life cases demonstrating its diagnostic impact, and examines current barriers preventing widespread adoption in clinical practice. Attendees will gain insight into how EHF pure tone testing can be a powerful and differentiating diagnostic tool for their patients.
Learning Objectinves:
- Describe the current evidence base supporting extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry as an early indicator of cochlear dysfunction associated with noise exposure and other causes of hearing loss.
- Analyze extended high-frequency audiometric findings from case examples to determine their clinical significance and implications for patient counseling and management.
- Develop an implementation plan for incorporating extended high-frequency testing into routine clinical practice, addressing barriers such as equipment limitations, time constraints, reimbursement considerations, and normative data challenges.
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Active Sound Therapy: Integrative Bimodal Protocol for Managing Tinnitus
Tinnitus isn't just an auditory phenomenon. It's a multisystem experience involving the auditory system, cognitive interpretations, and the autonomic nervous system's state of arousal. When tinnitus becomes intrusive, all three systems are involved. Active Sound Therapy is a novel approach that integrates three evidence-based interventions (customized sound therapy, cognitive behavioral reframing, and bottom-up breathwork) with specific timing to address all three systems in a coordinated effort.
Grounded in Polyvagal Theory, AST proposes that controlled breathwork can shift autonomic state from defensive to safe while tinnitus is present, enabling the nervous system to reclassify tinnitus from threat to neutral stimulus. This presentation introduces the theoretical framework, protocol components, and preliminary clinical outcomes.
Learning Objectinves:
- Participants will be able to describe the current landscape of tinnitus treatment, including bimodal interventions and how they differ from one another.
- Participants will be able to discuss the three evidence-based primary components integrated into Active Sound Therapy: cognitive reframing, sound therapy, and breathwork.
- Participants will be able to implement two types of breathwork with patients on Monday morning when they return to the office and will be able to explain why it's important to integrate nervous system regulation into treatment plans for tinnitus.
Speaker: Sara Downs, AuD.
Moderator: TBD
How to Interview for Adaptability, Judgement and Real-World Fit
Most hiring mistakes aren’t caused by poor intent or weak résumés—they stem from interviews that fail to reveal how candidates actually think. Traditional interviews tend to reward preparation, confidence, and familiarity, while overlooking adaptability, judgment, and problem-solving—the very traits administrators need in environments defined by constant change and limited energy.
This hands-on workshop reframes the interview as a way to gain an inside view of the candidate. Participants will learn how well-designed questions allow leaders to “test drive” candidates before hiring—exploring how they reason through ambiguity, respond to real-world scenarios, and align with the practice’s values and expectations. The focus is not on getting the right answers, but on uncovering the candidate’s thought process. By shifting from résumé validation to thinking assessment, administrators can reduce costly mismatches and hire people who can grow with the organization.
Learning Objectinves:
- Participants will be able to design interview questions that reveal adaptability, judgment, and learning agility rather than rehearsed experience.
- Participants will be able to evaluate candidates based on how they think through real-world scenarios, not just what they’ve done before.
- Participants will be able to structure interviews to better predict performance, cultural alignment, and long-term fit.
Speaker: Sara Downs, AuD.
Moderator: TBD
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10:30 AM - 12:00 AM
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MVP
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Starkey Session (TBD)
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Beyond the Tier: A Diagnostic-Driven Framework for Modern Hearing Care
Audiologic care often moves from an incomplete diagnostic assessment directly to device selection as the primary intervention. While pure-tone thresholds remain foundational, functional measures such as speech-in-noise performance and structured real-world needs assessment are inconsistently integrated into treatment planning. This creates a structural gap between diagnosis and prescribed technology. The Minimum Clinical Need (MCN) model proposes a diagnostic-driven framework that links measured functional deficits to specific treatment features. This panel examines the diagnostic-to-treatment gap, outlines the conceptual foundation of MCN, and discusses practical strategies for integrating structured prescription logic into routine clinical workflows. Attendees will gain a clearer framework for strengthening diagnostic alignment and improving treatment decisions in modern hearing care.
Learning Objectinves:
- Evaluate how diagnostic assessment structures shape the alignment between measured deficits, treatment planning, and real-world communication performance.
- Describe the conceptual foundation and core components of the Minimum Clinical Need (MCN) framework for linking diagnostic findings to treatment planning.
- Apply principles of structured diagnostic-to-treatment alignment to enhance real-world communication outcomes in clinical practice.
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
When Sound Becomes Stress: Integrated, Evidence-Based Care for Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia
“There’s nothing we can do; you just have to get used to it.” This is often the messaging for patients who are struggling with tinnitus and/or sound sensitivity, but there are effective, evidence-based options for managing these conditions. Through illustrative case studies, we will discuss how behavioral counseling and audiology collaborate on tinnitus, hyperacusis, and misophonia management to help clients accomplish their goals.
Learning Objectinves:
- Describe options for evidence-based audiology interventions for tinnitus and sound sensitivity management.
- Identify therapy modalities that are used for tinnitus and sound sensitivity management.
- Describe how success is determined in tinnitus and sound sensitivity management.
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
TBD
More information coming soon!
Speaker: Jennifer Deal, PhD.
Moderator: TBD
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01:00 PM - 02:30 PM
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Coding & Credentialing: A Practical Guide
Revenue-cycle management can feel overwhelming at times. This course will equip participants with best practices in coding and credentialing to ensure streamlined processes are in place to reduce time spent on these tasks.
Learning Objectinves:
- Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to assess documentation needed for credentialing within their audiology practice.
- Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to describe common audiology coding errors.
- Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to describe billing and coding trends in Medicare part B for the future.
Speaker: Deb Abel
Moderator: TBD
Are You Ready? Lessons Learned from Disaster
Abstract: We cannot control disasters, which is the frightening part of the discussion. But we can take control to create processes, policies, procedures, safeguards to keep people safe and save our businesses. With good preparation, recovery is easier, less expensive and far less daunting. Are you prepared? This presentation will share what we learned from a fire in October 2023 to legal process for the business continuity claim.
Learning Objectinves:
- Inventorying contents: What documentation is needed and helpful.
- Tools for protecting contents and data.
- How to find the helpers in your community and recover.
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Phonak Session (TBD)
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Lifestyle Medicine
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
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02:45 PM - 04:15 PM
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From Default to Deliberate: A Case Study in Designing the Right Hearing Aid Pricing Strategy for Your Practice
An established hearing aid practice within an ENT organization embarked on a massive pricing structure change in 2023. In a case-study format, attendees will learn how this established practice modernized its pricing strategy, managed through change, and analyzed the success of the initiative through meaningful KPIs. Attendees will gain insight into how they can customize their own pricing structure updates in alignment with their organization's vision.
Learning Objectinves:
- Attendees will be able to differentiate between bundled, unbundled, and hybrid hearing aid pricing structures.
- Attendees will be able to determine variables essential to their value proposition as they consider pricing strategy.
- Attendees will gain insight into preparing and managing teams through change related to pricing structure strategy.
Speaker: Kristi Gravel, AuD.
Moderator: TBD
AI Auditory Training
More information coming soon!
Speaker: Brian Taylor
Moderator: TBD
The Future of Audiology Education
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
Monetizing Hearing Loss Prevention (Products and Services)
More information coming soon!
Speaker: TBD
Moderator: TBD
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