info@audiology.asn.au www.audiology.asn.au

THE MAGAZINE OF AUDIOLOGY AUSTRALIA LTD. ISSUE 61 - WINTER 2015 Marketing Audiology Members Views on the Profession Specialisation in Audiology Chapter News and so much more... info@audiology.asn.au www.audiology.asn.au

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Winter 2015 - What s In This Issue From the Office 05/ President's Report 06/ Finance, Audit and Risk Report 08/ CEO Report 09/ Letters to the Editor Professional Issues 10/ Choosing hearing aid technologies - Jani Johnson 14/ Marketing: its not rocket science - Katherine Toates 16/ Book Review - Noelene Neilsen 18/ Digital marketing and social media - Susan Grenness 21/ Infant Diagnostic Audiology - Marg Anderson 25/ IAA Conference: Independence Matters - John Pearcy Member Activities 26/ Outcomes of the Darwin Workshops 32/ Himalayan Hearing program 35/ Notes from the OHS 36/ Sean Fitzpatrick Rural & Remote Student Scholarships 39/ NSW Branch News 40/ Vic/ Tas Branch News 41/ NT Branch News 43/ SA Branch News 44/ WA Branch News 45/ Qld Branch News 46/ Dates to Remember 10 HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY LEVELS 14 MARKETING IN AUDIOLOGY 26 DARWIN OUTCOMES Answers for the Quiz Audiology Now 60 - Autumn 2015 1 - Name all four to achieve (T), 2 - T, 3 - F - University of Tasmania, 4 - T, 5 - T, 6 - T, 7 - T, 8 - T, 9 - F - Outreach Audiology is a focus group for audiologists working in developing countries, 10 - T, 11 - T, 12 - F - Shouldn't be ignored, must consider how results are presented and how the study implemented, 13 - T, 14 - T, 15 - T, 16 - F - Code of Conduct 1.3 is Members shall provide sufficient information to enable them to make informed decisions about their hearing health care. info@audiology.asn.au 03 Audiology Now 61

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President's Report LOUISE HICKSON Audiology Australia President As I write I am attending the International Congress for the Education of the Deaf (ICED) in Athens. This is a major congress held only every 5 years and the keynote speaker on the first morning of the conference was none other than Australia's own Prof Greg Leigh, Director of the RIDBC Centre for Research and Professional Education in Sydney. He spoke on the importance of recognizing diversity in deaf education. This highlighted for me yet again the very high profile that hearing research and practice from Australia has on the world stage. It was also announced at the congress that the next ICED is to be held in Brisbane in 2020. This issue of Audiology Now has two themes. The first is a summary of the outcomes of the very successful Darwin conference. My sincere thanks to all the Directors of Audiology Australia for their input to that meeting, in particular the key organizers Helen Goulios and Amarjit Anand, and to all the members who so enthusiastically participated in discussions. This mini-conference was in a new interactive format for us and members were invited to give strategic input to the directions of Audiology Australia. In this issue each of the working group leaders, as well as our CEO Tony Coles, present their perspectives on the conference. The second theme is a follow-on to the article included in the last edition called the Ethics of Marketing. This article examines what marketing means in the context of audiology and includes reviews of the new book by Brian Taylor called Marketing in an Audiology Practice, which has generated a great deal of interest. We hope you enjoy this edition and we welcome any feedback to communications@audiology.asn.au Invitation to Attend BOB COWAN Chair, National Conference Committee Hearing for Life, Audiology Australia's National Conference and Workshops 2016 will provide a great opportunity for instructional courses, symposia, round tables, and presentations across a wide range of topical areas in audiology. A very special feature of our program is the Denis Byrne Memorial Lecture, delivered by one of Australia's foremost researchers or clinicians. As in 2014, the pre-conference program will again also feature the Libby Harricks Memorial Oration, delivered on behalf of the Deafness Forum, the peak body for hearing healthcare consumer groups in Australia. These prestigious lectures will provide the perfect lead-in to the conference scientific program, featuring invited international keynote addresses, round table presentations on current topical themes in audiology, and special symposiums on issues such as Early Intervention and Ageing and Cognition. The program will be rounded out with submitted free papers and posters on a range of themes, covering all aspects of audiology, including basic science, clinical practice and rehabilitation, technology and professional issues and practice. New and recent graduates are encouraged to submit papers for inclusion in the Laurie Upfold Award series, which provides not only an opportunity to present at Australia's premier audiology conference, but also includes an award. Poster submissions are also encouraged, and will all be eligible for the conference Best Poster award. Audiology Australia's National Conference Committee is now inviting submission of abstracts for inclusion in either the pre-conference Workshops or Instructional Course Program or for the Conference Scientific Program. Please see the conference website for specifics. The venue at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre in trendy SouthBank is a state-of-the-art facility, and promises exceptional facilities for the conference and for the Trade Exhibition, a fabulous feature of each Audiology Australia conference. And the Conference Dinner and Dance, to be held at the Crown Palladium ballroom, is a great opportunity to not only walk the red carpet but to enjoy a great evening of fun with friends and colleagues. So, put the conference dates in your diary now, and look forward to seeing your colleagues at Audiology Australia's 2016 meeting Hearing for Life. info@audiology.asn.au 05 Audiology Now 61

Finance Audit & Risk Committee Report BOB COWAN Chair As the financial year 2014/15 closes out, we can reflect on the whirlwind of activities of the past 18 months - a new corporate name, new corporate logo, revised Constitution, updated Standards, and importantly, a new CEO at the helm to work with the new Board installed last November. The year has ended with a modest financial surplus, and a full set of audited Financial Statements will be presented to the members at the AGM in November 2015. Audiology Australia is in a strong financial position, allowing the Board scope for work on projects in its four strategic areas, as was highlighted at the Darwin miniconference attended by many members. So, welcome to a new financial year and what a pleasure to report that the Board has agreed that membership subscriptions will only have a small CPI increase for the 2015/16 year. Remember, your member subscriptions are the lifeblood of your professional association, enabling the Board to run and staff a professional office, and to address the Strategic issues challenging our profession and association. Your member subscriptions also ensure your access to the International Journal of Audiology and other continuing benefits of membership of the International Society of Audiology. So don't delay, you can pay your subscriptions on-line through the Audiology Australia website. We are continuing our activities in ensuring that Audiology Australia and our new logo are properly trademarked by IP Australia, and a guidelines document re use of the trademarks for individual members and their businesses is in development. The FAR Committee has been actively addressing the reputational and other risk issues to Audiology Australia and its members associated with the business and practice issues as raised in the Radio National Program aired in April this year, and in changes in hearing healthcare delivery models such as hearing aids being provided through pharmacies, and on-line assessment and device fitting services. Discussions have been held with the ACCC and other agencies, and a Member survey on related issues will be released. As noted in previous reports, information from the survey will be used to develop a white paper consolidating member's concerns and gaining an evidence base on commission-based practices being encountered by members. Members are encouraged to contact the FAR Committee directly to assist in this activity - contact details are provided in this Audiology Now or on the website. Above/ "The Faces of the School of Audiology - four decades later" - Angela Marshall, Field Rickards, Judy Lockie. Turn to the Vic Chapter News for more details. Audiology Now 61 06 www.audiology.asn.au

Chief Executive Officer Report TONY COLES Chief Executive Officer Firstly, thank you to the many members who have welcomed me to Audiology Australia. It is a privilege to be able to serve members and the profession in my capacity as Chief Executive Officer. I am very much looking forward to working with the Board of Directors to ensure that Audiology Australia continues to support audiologists to deliver the highest standards of person-centred care. In my first week at Audiology Australia, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend and present at the Issues in Professional Practice Seminar and Workshops held in Darwin. The first day comprised a series of invited speakers who were each able to set the scene on a host of topical issues, including delivering services in rural and regional areas, changing demographics and an ageing population, professional conduct and ethical practice, and how technologies are shaping the future of audiology. While the speaker sessions on the first day were stimulating and engaging, the real highlight was the final session facilitated by Dr Helen Goulios entitled Issues in Professional Practice for Audiology Australia. Helen invited Directors from the Board, together with me, to take questions from the delegates around how Audiology Australia can better serve its members and the profession more broadly. I really appreciated the chance to hear directly from members what they see as some of the issues that face the profession, particularly in relation to public perceptions of the profession, and ethical issues facing the profession and industry more broadly. I have also had the opportunity to meet with members at various Chapter events. This has enabled me to hear more about local issues for members and discuss ways in which the National Office can improve its services. I am very interested in ways in which we can better use technologies for CPD activities, such as webcasting and webinars, which would enable all members to access Audiology Australia events online. Audiology Australia recently emailed all members with an invitation to participate in an online survey. Feedback from this survey is crucial for understanding where we are currently meeting the needs of our members, and areas where we need to improve. I will be reporting a summary of the findings from the survey in the next edition of Audiology Now. The findings will also be used by the Board of Directors at their next Strategic Planning session in September. As Audiology Australia is a member based organisation, it is important that the direction that the society takes is driven by the membership. It is also important to remember that the profession does not operate in isolation. While Audiology Australia as a self-regulating body has adopted a Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct, as well as Clinical and Operational Practice Standards for Audiologists, the Office of Hearing Services is keen to work with the hearing health sector more broadly to develop National Practice Standards. The Standards will complement the OHS Service Delivery Framework and build on clinical service delivery protocols and best practice standards developed by hearing health care professional bodies. To this end, Audiology Australia has been invited onto the OHS Audiology Expert Reference Group to assist in the development of the Standards. We will be sure to keep members updated as the Standards are progressed. Above/ Helen Goulios (Left) leads the Open Forum. Jacy Fellows (Right) reports back on her workshop. Audiology Now 61 08 www.audiology.asn.au

Letters to the Editor We were delighted to receive many positive comments about the new Letters to the Editor column. Its continuing success depends on you, so please keep those topical letters coming. Any letters published reflect the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Audiology Australia Ltd or its Board of Directors. Members wishing to express their views should write to communications@ audiology.asn.au. Responses are provided by the Editorial Board. Dear Editor, I felt very privileged to have attended the timely seminar on Issues in Professional Practice organised by Audiology Australia in Darwin on the 6th and 7th of June. Much needed open and frank discussions took place during the sessions. It was very refreshing to see Audiology Australia taking genuine steps to become a member centred association. My sincere thanks to the Board members who worked tirelessly to make it happen, and also dedicate so much of their own time to our professional association. It was a great pleasure to meet recently appointed CEO Dr Tony Coles who has demonstrated a genuine interest to work for our cause. Many challenges are ahead of us to ensure that audiology becomes a profession which is recognised and respected for all the good work audiologists have done, and continue to provide to the community. We need to work together to protect our field of expertise and to ensure that other groups do not over step professional boundaries, risking public harm and disrepute our profession. The lack of regulation in our profession means that there are no defined boundaries between audiologists and other stake holders in the hearing industry. This is making it increasingly difficult for many employed audiologists to stand up for their code of ethics and to keep the interest of their patients above that of their employers. Discussions during the seminar made it evident that there has been much confusion between the differences between a registered profession and a self-regulated profession. Self-regulation means that the rules of conduct are defined and enforced by a professional association, but only upon its members. Membership to a professional association is voluntary so that non-members are not bound to the rules. For audiologists, it means that if we become self-regulated and Audiology Australia is the regulator as proposed in the past, non-members can continue to step into our field without any means to control it. Registration on the other hand is not bound by a professional association but rather by the government. In our case the registration organ is AHPRA (Australia Health Practitioners Regulation Agency). Only professionals registered with AHPRA are allowed to exercise their respective profession and others stepping into the field are in breach of legislation. The more I discuss and learn about it, the clearer it becomes to me that to seek registration is the best path for audiologists moving forward. Registration, however, is a complex process but there may be a window of opportunity for us to become part of AHPRA in the future. It may be a long winding road but it should pay off and will ensure that the next generation of audiologists will be prouder of their chosen profession. All in all I left the Darwin seminar, like all the other participants, full of optimism for a brighter future for audiologists. Dr Celene McNeill info@audiology.asn.au 09 Audiology Now 61

Choosing hearing aid technology for older adults: examination of user outcomes BY JANI A. JOHNSON, JINGJING XU, ROBYN M. COX University of Memphis, TN, USA Modern hearing aids possess complex features that are intended to improve hearing in a variety of listening environments. Major manufacturers market families of hearing aids that are described as spanning the range from basic technology to premium technology. Premium technology hearing aids include features that are not found in basic technology instruments. These premium features are intended to yield additional improvements to hearing in daily life compared to basic technology devices. Not surprisingly, these advancements add to the overall cost of the hearing aids, often by a lot. One of the challenges faced by hearing care providers is how to choose the level of hearing aid technology to recommend to their patients. Ideally, this is accomplished by listening to patients and choosing the most cost-effective technology to meet their individual needs and preferences. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of independent research about the effectiveness of premium feature devices compared to basic feature devices. As a result, practitioners are forced to rely mostly on unverified manufacturer claims about feature benefits when they decide which hearing aid(s) to recommend to patients. This, of course, is not an evidence-backed basis for recommending these important healthcare devices. To meet patients' needs, hearing aid providers should have access to scientifically based evidence about the real world improvements that can be delivered by the premium-feature and basic-feature instruments they recommend. This paper summarizes results of research designed to address this lack of evidence. We compared the effectiveness of premium-feature and basic-feature hearing aids in four real-world listening challenges that modern hearing aids claim to address: speech understanding, listening effort, localization, and acceptability of everyday sounds. For each topic the following question was asked: Do premium-feature hearing aids yield better outcomes than basicfeature hearing aids for older adults with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss? Premium Advanced Entry Basic Research Participants and Procedure Forty-five older adults (30 males and 15 females) with essentially symmetrical mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss were included in this study. Participants wore four different pairs of commercially available mini behindthe-ear thin-tube hearing aids in their daily lives for one month each. These hearing aids exemplified basic-level and premium-level technology from each of two major manufacturers, released in 2011 and still in use. Basic and premium devices from the same manufacturer were identical in appearance, but there were substantial differences in advertised features and functions, such as number of compression channels, function of directional technologies, and types of noise reduction strategies. More details are given in Cox et al. (2014). Participants were not aware of the technology differences among the hearing aids or the primary purpose of the study. Outcomes were evaluated at the end of each one-month trial. The strategy for outcome measurement was designed using two types of measures for each domain: laboratory testing and standardized questionnaires. Statistical analyses tested the primary hypothesis that outcomes would be better for premium-feature hearing aids compared to basic-feature hearing aids. Speech Understanding. One of the major problems reported by people with hearing impairment is difficulty understanding speech in various settings with background noise, so comparing speech understanding outcomes was obviously important. Briefly, we quantified speech understanding in the laboratory using an American dialect version of the Four Alternative Auditory Feature test (AFAAF; Foster & Haggard, 1987; Xu & Cox, 2014) in three listening environments (soft, average, and loud). Quadrant A of Figure 1 depicts mean speech understanding in the average listening environment in unaided and aided conditions. Results of statistical analyses showed that aided listening yielded significantly better speech understanding scores than unaided listening for all three environments. However, scores were not significantly different for premium and basic hearing aids for any of the 3 test environments. Audiology Now 61 10 www.audiology.asn.au

We also measured speech understanding in the real world by asking participants to respond to questionnaires. The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB; Cox & Alexander, 1995); the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale - Benefit (SSQ-B; Gatehouse & Noble, 2004; Jensen et al., 2009) and the Device- Oriented Subjective Outcome Scale (DOSO; Cox, Alexander, & Xu, 2014) all have subscales that assess real-world speech understanding. To provide a single comprehensive benefit/deficit score for each hearing aid, data were combined from the speech understanding subscales of each questionnaire. Quadrant A of Figure 2 depicts the resulting composite benefit scores for basic-feature and premiumfeature hearing aids. On average, participants reported significant improvements in real-world speech understanding with the research hearing aids, but benefit was not perceived to be significantly different between basic-level and premium-level hearing aids. Listening Effort. Improved hearing is not limited to better speech understanding. It has been proposed that advanced processing applied by high-technology premium hearing aids might reduce the amount of mental effort that is required for listening even when improvements in hearing are not captured using speech recognition scores (e.g., Bentler et al. 2008). We measured listening effort in the laboratory alongside the speech understanding test in the three listening environments. After groups of speech understanding test words were presented, participants were asked to rate the effort it took for them to understand the group. They based their answers on a 7-point scale of listening effort. Quadrant B of Figure 1 depicts the mean listening effort rating in the average listening environment. Listening with hearing aids yielded significantly reduced listening effort compared to unaided listening for the soft and average environments. However, as above, ratings were not significantly different for premium and basic hearing aids in any of the three environments. Participants responded to two questionnaires that contained questions about listening effort in daily life: the SSQ-B and the DOSO. Listening effort subscales from these two Figure 1/ Mean performance on four laboratory measures for unaided and the two aided conditions. The following test conditions represent performance on each measure: A & B: average listening environment; C: quiet environment/high frequency stimuli; D: stimuli with average intensity/transient duration. Scales for localization and listening effort were reversed so that taller bars indicate better performance for all measures. questionnaires were combined. Quadrant B of Figure 2 shows the average composite benefit scores for the two aided conditions. Although listening effort was significantly lower when using the research hearing aids compared to unaided listening, once again, scores were not significantly different between the premium and basic hearing aids. Localization. An additional important function of hearing is the ability to accurately detect the direction from which sound is coming. Using hearing aids, especially behind-the-ear (BTE) style hearing aids, is known to have a negative effect on natural localization cues. Current hearing aids, especially premium-feature hearing aids, have technologies that are designed to target improved sound localization. Localization performance was measured in both quiet and noisy environments in the laboratory. Briefly, low-frequency and high-frequency filtered speech utterances (approximately 1.33 seconds in duration) were presented from loudspeakers placed in a circle surrounding the participant. For the noisy environment, high and low frequency masking noises were presented from 2 additional loudspeakers from the back of the participant. After each test stimulus, participants indicated which speaker that they believed the utterance originated from. We scored localization performance using a method in which a larger number indicates more localization errors. Quadrant C of Figure 1 shows the mean scores for the unaided and the two aided conditions with high and low frequency test stimuli in quiet and noise. Unaided and aided localization performance was not significantly different in any test condition. However, premium-feature hearing aids outperformed the basic-feature hearing aids when high frequency stimuli were used and the test environment was quiet. It can be seen in Figure 1 that the difference, though statistically significant, was small. Real-world localization data included two SSQ-B subscale scores for spatial hearing. The mean scores for the two aided conditions are shown in Quadrant C of Figure 2. Statistical results showed that localization performance was significantly improved when using the research hearing aids. However, once again, the amount of improvements with the premium and basic hearing aids were not significantly different in the realworld. Acceptability of Everyday Sounds. Acceptability of every day non-speech sounds has been found to relate to hearing aid use and satisfaction. Several advanced hearing aid features have been developed to improve info@audiology.asn.au 11 Audiology Now 61

improved speech understanding, reduced listening effort, maintained localization performance, and improved acceptability of some everyday non-speech sounds. Additional details about the procedures used in this study have been provided in recent presentations and publications that are available for download on the Hearing Aid Research Lab's website at www.harlmemphis.org. In addition, our team is working on a series of articles that will discuss in depth the methods and results summarized above. These will be available over the next year. Figure 2/ Mean real-world aided benefit outcome scores for the two aided conditions. Taller bars indicate more benefit. acceptability of non-speech sounds of varying intensity and duration. We quantified acceptability of everyday sounds in the laboratory using a method we developed called the Sound Acceptability Test (SAT). In the SAT, acceptability is based on an individual's total impression of a sound. Although related to aversiveness, annoyance, and loudness tolerance, acceptability also comprises aspects of individual experience, preferences, emotional reaction to sound, and perceptions of sound quality, naturalness, clarity, etc. For this measure, we presented 21 everyday sounds (e.g., cleaning with an upright vacuum cleaner, hitting wood with a hammer, rattling silverware in a metal pan) with varying durations (transient, episodic, continuous) and intensities (soft, average, loud) for each participant in each condition. Sounds were presented in real-time. After each presentation, participants were asked to rate the acceptability of each sound. They based their answers on a 0-10 scale of acceptability. Quadrant D of Figure 1 presents an example of the mean rating scores computed for each listening condition for average intensity/transient duration sounds. Results of statistical analyses showed that aided listening yielded significantly more acceptable average/transient non-speech sounds compared to unaided listening, but significantly less acceptable average/continuous and loud/episodic sounds. As was observed for the other laboratory measures, scores were not significantly different for premium and basic hearing aids for any of the intensity/duration categories. Participants responded to questionnaires that contained items about sound acceptability in daily life: they indicated how much benefit (or deficit) in sound acceptability that they observed from the hearing aids by responding to the APHAB Aversiveness subscale and the DOSO Quietness subscale. Scores from these two questionnaires were combined. Quadrant D of Figure 2 shows the average composite sound acceptability score for each of the four aided conditions. As above, these scores were not significantly different for premium and basic conditions. We also administered the Profile of Aided Loudness (PAL; Palmer et al., 1999) to assess loudness and loudness satisfaction for soft, average, and loud sounds. Aided soft and average nonspeech sounds were significantly louder than unaided sounds, and all categories of sounds were reported as more satisfactory when aided. However, the loudness ratings and loudness satisfaction scores from the PAL were not significantly different for premium and basic hearing aids. Discussion and Comments Our results support the assertion that hearing aids are beneficial in multiple real-world domains for older adults with hearing loss. For these participants, hearing aids effectively It might be surprising that, despite the broad scope of outcomes that were evaluated, and the careful attention that we paid to optimizing all the hearing aid fittings, there was minimal evidence of greater improvements in hearing when older individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss used hearing aids with premium technology versus basic technology. In fact, only one contrived situation (localization of high frequency filtered speech in a quiet laboratory) demonstrated better performance with premium hearing aids compared to basic and this incremental improvement did not translate to perceived benefit in the real-world. When choosing which hearing technology to recommend for an older patient, hearing care providers need to consider the patient's individual needs and then help the patient perform a cost-benefit analysis of the products that are available. Because basicfeature hearing aids are less costly than premium-feature hearing aids, the amount of perceived benefit per unit cost would likely be higher for the basic devices. Therefore, it would be expected that patients will find them to have higher value than premiumfeature hearing aids. However, it is important for practitioners to keep in mind that the knowledge and skills required for hearing rehabilitation with hearing aids are highly specialized. Although patients might like their new hearing aids, they don't automatically know how to get the best use of them. Audiologists know more than any other professionals about how to help individuals with hearing loss. It is important that practitioners stop focusing on technology minutia and refocus on patients, listening to them and teaching them about Audiology Now 61 12 www.audiology.asn.au

communication and how hearing devices can be helpful, or not, and why. Professional services that follow bestpractice, patient-oriented protocols can be time-consuming, but they are essential to obtaining an optimal outcome for each patient, no matter which feature level is recommended. Although the results of this research are clear, further research is needed on this topic with other hearing aids and other manufacturers. To make valid, cost-effective recommendations about hearing healthcare devices to patients, hearing care providers cannot rely solely on manufacturer marketing claims. Instead, practitioners must insist on timely, independent, scientifically credible research that demonstrates the effectiveness of those hearing technologies that they recommended. Send correspondence to Dr Jani A. Johnson, email: jajhns10@memphis.edu Acknowledgement: This research was funded by a grant to the third author from the U. S. National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (R01DC011550). References Bentler, R., Wu, Y. H., Kettel, J., & Hurtig, R. (2008). Digital noise reduction: outcome from laboratory and field studies. Int J Audiol, 47(8), 447-460. Cox, R. & Alexander, G. (1995): The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit. Ear & Hearing;16:176-186. Cox, R., Alexander, G., & Xu, J. (2014). Development of the Device-Oriented Subjective Outcome (DOSO) Scale. J Am Acad Audiol, 25(8), 727-736. Cox, R., Johnson, J., & Xu, J. (2014). Impact of advanced hearing aid technology on speech understanding for older listeners with mild-tomoderate, adult-onset, sensorineural hearing loss. Gerontology, 60 (6), 557-568. Foster, J. & Haggard, M. (1987). The four alternative auditory feature test (FAAF) linguistic and psychometric properties of the material with normative data in noise. Br J Audiol, 21, 165-174. Gatehouse, S. & Noble, W. (2004). The Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ). Int J Audiol, 43, 85-99. Jensen, NS., Akeroyd, MA., Noble, W. & Naylor, G. (2009). The Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ) as a benefit measure. Fourth NCRAR International Conference. Portland, OR, USA. Xu, J. & Cox, R. (2014). Recording and evaluation of an American dialect version of the four alternative auditory feature test. J Am Acad Audiol, 25(8), 737-45. CRCA Excellence in Innovation Award recognises HEARnet The HEARing CRC was one of only two recipients of an Excellence in Innovation Award, presented by the Minister for Industry and Science the Hon Ian Macfarlane at the 2015 Cooperative Research Centres Association Conference Dinner at Parliament House. The HEARing CRC received the Award in recognition of its HEARnet Online and HEARnet Learning website initiatives, that have proven effective in connecting the public, hearing health professionals and researchers with the latest independent research findings and information about hearing loss, the clinical treatment of hearing loss and available hearing technologies solutions, such as the cochlear implant. HEARnet Online (www.hearnet.org.au) has a wealth of independent information about different types of hearing loss together with commercially-available technologies that are applicable to each respective type. There is also practical information for hearing health professionals to help provide assistance in the personal management of hearing loss. HEARnet Learning (www.hearnetlearning.org.au) was specifically established to ensure that HEARing CRC evidence-based, research outcomes are translated into clinical Above/ Greg Lawrence, Helen Goulios and Bob Cowan receive the Awards from Hon Ian McFarlane. practice by hearing health professionals. At the same time, these modules assist them with their ongoing professional development and help deliver better outcomes to their patients. Working closely with Audiology Australia, HEARing CRC has developed clinical training modules that provide up-to-date information on an expanding array of specialist topics such as cochlear implant and hearing aid fitting, patient-centric rehabilitation for managing hearing loss in infants, adults and the elderly, as well as diagnosis of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in children and the elderly. As end-user members of the HEARing CRC, Audiology Australia and the National Acoustic Laboratories (the research division of Australian Hearing) have played an important role in developing and accrediting the modules for continuing professional development. info@audiology.asn.au 13 Audiology Now 61

Marketing - It's not Rocket Science BY KATHERINE TOATES Katherine has 20 years' experience in national and international B2B/B2C corporate marketing for multimilliondollar corporations across a diverse range of industries. She is a specialist in the technical, conceptual and content development of sales-driving collateral, brand development and digital marketing. She first became involved with audiology, as Marketing Manager for Australian Hearing and currently works for Phonak Australia. I've worked in the hearing healthcare industry in Australia for almost 7 years now and I've seen a lot change and evolve. One thing that hasn't changed is how many independent clinics still respond with a skewed expression on their face when the topic of marketing is approached. What still amazes me is when clinics are asked what marketing activity they have planned, many drop their eyes to the floor or start to shuffle closer to the exit to wrap up the conversation quickly. I have asked myself many times - why this reaction? So I've gone straight to the source for an explanation. These are some of the responses: I don't have time ; I'm too busy working on the day to day running of the clinic ; It's too expensive and it doesn't work ; I just don't know where to start, so I don't ; I'm a clinician, not a marketer. I'm going to put an ad in the paper next week - promise ; We don't need to market ourselves, we do just fine without it ; It's too hard. Any of these resonate with you at all? I realise that it's probably not ideal preaching that marketing isn't hard when I have been doing it for over 20 years. Truthfully, marketing can be complex, time consuming and expensive at times. But anything can be if there is no thought or effort applied - true? If you strip marketing down to its bare bones there are just 3 key action points that should become common practice. In fact, this is not just for marketing but business in general, even life experiences. Plan it. Do it. Review it. PLAN IT, DO IT, REVIEW IT. The first is to plan. Very little is achieved if there is no plan or direction. Even if it's for just 3 months at a time - have a plan. The second is to actually execute the plan. There is no point in having a plan that doesn't get the opportunity to take flight and work for your cause. Thirdly, review. Unless you go back to see whether it was worth the exercise, to identify what worked, what didn't and for you to determine what impact a campaign had on your business, then you continue to fly blind and can only make assumptions. Perhaps these key points may not be anything that you didn't know already. Yet many in the industry don't practice this simplistic foundation to marketing. For others who have taken the leap of faith and are actively dabbling in marketing and promoting their brand, here is some food for thought. Today's customer is everywhere-online and offline. He or she moves from one marketing channel to another, jumping from an email inbox, a Facebook feed, to a favourite blog, to Google, to a website, then back to social media or Google, to watching TV, listing to radio, reading the paper and then back to Google -all without losing much momentum. Marketing is no longer about being multi-channel it's about being omnichannel. THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE To meet your customers wherever they might be, it's important to deliver an integrated customer experience across Audiology Now 61 14 www.audiology.asn.au

as many platforms as possible. The customer should experience some kind of offer, service, have a purpose and find a solution. It's not about 'one hit wonders' and putting a single advertisement in the paper or magazine and hoping for the best. It is about having a frequent, consistent message across a select range of marketing channels. It is also imperative to have content across these channels that is useful, eye catching, informative and engaging. It doesn't stop there either, your customers experience continues when they call for an appointment, come for a hearing test or fitting and then in turn becomes a new valued client. This is the cross over between client acquisition and client retention. Once you've got them, you then need to keep them engaged. There are a couple of points here that I am trying to make. A customer experience starts when they find you or you find them. Make this initial 'romancing' period count. Every touch point that follows is just as important as the one before. Marketing is not just about the campaign or activity, it's about the entire client journey and each step you and your team take to build that relationship with a client. If a less than positive experience happens to a client at any point during this journey the relationship becomes strained and they may decide that you aren't the one for them. After all the time, effort and resources used to get to this point, it is crucial to ensure that all customer facing processes meet client expectations. In keeping tabs on all of this there is another crucial element to marketing that should always be top of mind and that is what is appropriate and what isn't. To market any item, service, or business it should be true to the brand and to remain ethical and appropriate in nature. This is less of a marketing strategy and more of a philosophy. It looks to promote honesty, fairness, and responsibility. It is a notoriously difficult subject because everyone has subjective judgments about what is right and what is wrong. For this reason, there are no hard and fast list of rules. The world is indeed a small place and communication travels at light speed over vast distances these days. Good creativity is a balance of select target markets, associated audiences, business practices, legal and regulatory requirements and desired outcomes. A lot to keep balanced I know! Multiple resources are available online and it's not an unreasonable request that should you find it hard to navigate through this area there are professionals within local community and the industry to assist. THE FOUNDATIONS OF MARKETING Casting a wider net, let's also look at some more traditional marketing areas that often get left behind, forgotten or perhaps at times deemed a little less important or not relevant. It's always being debated how many 'P's of marketing there are, but let's work with these 7 - Product, Place, Price, Promotion, Process, Positioning and People. They are all very important. It's about a holistic, cohesive approach and taking into consideration all 7 key areas when developing your marketing plan. Each area needs to support another for it to have a chance at producing the best possible outcome. For example: you have just invested in a marketing campaign and its been quite successful with a lot of activity noted on your website, and the number of appointments for product trials as a result of the campaign are solid. On review after completing the appointments, the post campaign evaluation revealed that only a few purchases were made and the return on the investment put into the campaign didn't' break even. Why? It's a very real expectation that sometimes despite our best efforts campaigns are not always as successful as we would like. Often the campaign itself takes all the heat. There are many things to consider and review in this specific space but you know what? Often we don't see the forest for the trees, yet it's right there in front of us. The reasons can be vast and varied. Could it be that the type of audience you attracted in the promotional stage was in fact not the clientele you were looking for; what other activity or promotion was going on in the same area; were the products and services you offered a good solution that met the needs of these customers; was pricing a concern; were staff friendly and helpful the day of your clients appointment, did they feel welcomed; was your clinic in the middle of renovations or perhaps may have been a bit drab, untidy and not very inviting; Is your team appropriately dressed for work - do you look the part; How was information packaged and presented to prospective clients, did you offer supporting brochures and other supporting material to help them make an informed decision. If I can use an analogy, marketing is a bit like baking a dessert without having a recipe. You may also not have access to all the ingredients either. You need to work it out as you go tweaking the marketing mix a bit here and a bit there. You have fun working on each element, use a bit of initiative, creativity, colour and engaging content. Then once it's all done you get to find out if it's any good. Each time you make that dessert you get better and better at it and you work out what ingredients and how much of these ingredients make your business tick. There are so many areas of marketing that it's hard to cover everything. So at the very least I hope that at some point perhaps this read has made you think about things a little differently and given you a bit of encouragement. Remember - it's not rocket science. Just plan it, do it, review it. info@audiology.asn.au 15 Audiology Now 61

Book Review: Marketing in an Audiology Practice By Brian Taylor Book Reviewed by Noelene Nielsen Times are changing for Audiology and it is time we stepped up to the possibilities our profession of audiology offers. The premise of this book Marketing in an Audiology Practice by Brian Taylor, is that audiology has the possibility to be an autonomous profession. This book explains how it is possible for audiologists to thrive in this market of device focused services and medical models driven by source of funding, that view audiology as a technical service not a profession. This book was written for both audiologists contemplating independent practice or already in independent practice. However it provides guidance and strategies that all audiologists would benefit from, on how to develop our brand as a profession, whether you work in a hospital setting, for an ENT clinic, University clinic or even for Australian Hearing. Over the last 36 years, I have tried to read every book and article written on audiology practice and management. It was amazement I felt as I read this book. I was excited. This excitement was sustained as I went from one chapter to the next. Our profession has a unique set of skills that audiologists are very poor at communicating to others. Our focus has been on devices and medical applications not branding ourselves as competent professionals who belong in the health care team. Brian Taylor, until recently the director of practice development and clinical matters for Unitron has been responsible for Unitrons' best practice initiatives and customer loyalty programs. He is editor in chief of Audiology Practices, the quarterly journal of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and a frequent contributor to AudiologyOnline as well as the HearingHealthMatters blog. The seven chapters provide a unique, in depth look at all facets of marketing audiology, in particular the essential components to building the brand of audiology. Brian has sourced six contributors for the chapters from the USA, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Each of these contributors is known for their innovative approaches to looking at the role of audiology going forward. Curtis Alcock provides a thought provoking approach to marketing our profession and had me questioning the assumptions underlying many of the current ways used to promote our profession. He has interesting strategies to make hearing care relevant for all. The difficulty is, it involves changing our belief in how we promote our services and skills. Are we, as a profession, up to it? I think we are! Brian Taylor addresses the issues of developing a strategy and brand for your practice, and the use of social media and digital marketing for the profession. He talks about changing from a device focus to a client focused hearing service and has practical solutions for doing this. Ever wondered how to write a marketing strategy and plan? Karen Ann Jacobs has written a comprehensive chapter on how to write one and gives great examples. Geoffrey Cooling explores practical implementation of your marketing plan, budget and calendar in a clinic. He writes about how to use traditional methods of marketing media, for example newspaper advertising as well as online marketing. He covers branding, the patient journey, communications policy, front of office operations and most important the consultation. Brian Taylor and Robert Tysoe explore in depth, interventional audiology as a way to develop relationships with medical practitioners and other health care providers in your community. It's about making them aware that audiology is not just about hearing aids - audiology has so much more to offer. The chapter on social media has been considered in depth by Susan Grenness elsewhere in this edition. The final chapter is on marketing university and other non profit audiology clinics. I wasn't sure if it was relevant to me personally but I am so glad I read it as it gave me insight and ideas for my own independent audiology practice. This book is worth reading by all audiologists. It's a book that is now in my library and already showing signs of over use. Audiology Now 61 16 www.audiology.asn.au

Marketing in an Audiology Practice: Digital Marketing and Social Media By Brian Taylor The release of this book has generated unprecedented interest amongst our members. In our search for a reviewer, we decided to email members who are independent audiologists. We received 4 offers in the first hour and 8 offers in the first day - unheard of when searching for Audiology Now authors! For this reason we chose to invite 2 people to review the book, with this second review focusing specifically on the highly topical subject of Digital Marketing and Social Media. Susan Greenness has a contrasting perspective on the book which we hope will stimulate your interest, and highlights the importance of an evidence base in everything we do. Book Reviewed by Susan Grenness Susan has a Diploma in Professional Management and in Entrepreneurial Management and is currently undertaking 12 month web based entrepreneurship training The opening statement of Marketing in an Audiology Practice states This is not, I repeat not, a marketing textbook this book is about branding. This book then proceeds to provide commentary on how both these subjects could be applied to Audiology practice. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SUMMARISES MARKETING IS WHAT YOU DO AND BRANDING IS WHAT YOU ARE. The language in this book may be confronting for many Audiologists. The beginning of the book discusses the need to have a marketing plan to pull clients in and once you have them through the door a selling plan. The underlying assumption in this book is that when an Audiologist is in private practice that their primary focus is only about selling hearing aids. Audiologists are then assumed to be product sales people rather than hearing professionals with a wide skill set to provide a range of hearing services. If you are primarily a product sales person then the introduction of a new disruptive innovation will be a very big business challenge. Personal sound amplification products (PSAP) and big box retail outlets pose a challenge to the status quo in hearing care delivery. Brian Taylor then presents the power of branding and marketing as a way to answer these emerging business threats. The headline on page 28 that Clinical Activity Is Your Message is an example of the book's focus on what we as Audiologist do rather than addressing what are the needs and wants of our clients. Audiologists are not encouraged to reframe their thoughts to the client's perspective of What's in it for me! Rather the message of what we do as Audiologists is encouraged as an important branding opportunity. Curtis J Alcock's take home message in Chapter 2 is that hearing care must be personally relevant to improve the public attitude towards hearing care. If a person does not perceive hearing care to be important to them then they are going to disregard any message an Audiologist may present to their community. The practical guide to a marketing strategy and plan (chapter 3) written by Karen Ann Jacobs is my favourite chapter in this book. There is lots of practical information in this section that could be used in an overall business plan. Marketing in a modern practice: a real world perspective written by Geoffrey Cooling is a commentary on issues around web design and effectiveness. Aspects of this chapter give more practical information in digital marketing than chapter 6 which reviews the subject. Geoffrey also touches on thinking about and documenting the structure of the client program that your practice will deliver. He makes the point that the structure of service delivery is part of your branding profile. The next area canvassed is the concept of disease state marketing. The potential reward of developing relationship with other health professionals for referrals is examined in detail. Having a physician marketing program is promoted as an effective strategy to increase profitability. A passing reference is made advising Audiologists to have a model of client shared decision making. It was disappointing that a more detailed Audiology Now 61 18 www.audiology.asn.au

discussion on this important issue was not explored more thoroughly. The appendix to this chapter gives examples of personal communication messages. This is a useful resource for educational messages that could be used to start promoting hearing health care messages to the community that you work in. It would have been interesting to know how well these messages were received in the communities where they have been used. Unfortunately no data was provided. SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING Social media is presented as being an important component of a comprehensive marketing plan. A quick tour of websites, blogging, content, podcasting, face book, database marketing, digital signage and cloud based marketing tools are reviewed with a broad sweeping brush. The summary of on-line forums does not put into perspective the practicalities of how to incorporate digital and social media into the practice of Audiology. Is face book a better forum for your clientele or should more effort be put into the practice website? Advice is not given on how or where resources should be focused for different outcomes or for what purpose. There is no information on demographics and where to target your efforts. The possibilities are overwhelming and for Audiologists new to the world of practice promotion where do you start? The summary of the digital marketing by Brian Taylor is as follows: Maintain an interesting website Create great content which is then used across social media Hire a professional webmaster who understands the hearing care industry These are great recommendations. In the real world from practical experience it is easier said than done. For example how does an Audiologist come up with great content that will capture the interest of the reader and result in action? The suggestions of authenticity, write to your target audience, reading age of a 12 year old etc. is sensible advice but limited. There is an art to copywriting and passion, authenticity and simplicity is not enough. How do you find a web designer who understands hearing care? Google classifies Audiology clinics as hearing aid shops. If you want to provide a wide range of hearing services finding a web designer who is willing to go past the google stereo type can be hard to find. Many websites end up being no more than a digital business card. This book does not give enough information on how to avoid these pit falls. However, having a digital business card is better than having no presence at all What is missing from this chapter is the message of test and measure. Whatever activity is undertaken test and measure the outcome. For example, comments like videos are important on a website find out test and measure. May be it is for your demographic or may be it isn't. Are you achieving the desired outcome for your efforts? Test and measure. How do you do this? Google analytics is only mentioned in passing on page 274. The application of Google analytics is essential knowledge to finding out what is working on your website. Social media and digital marketing should be an essential part of the practice of Audiology...be it government or private practice. If the word educate is substituted for the word marketing then it is important for all Audiologists to consider that they need to market/educate the importance of hearing care to the community. The confused message of this book not being about marketing then becomes irrelevant. Social and digital media is an exciting forum to educate/market to the public about hearing care. This book should not be used a reference book in this area but as a general introduction and resource to the existence of social and digital media for Audiology practice. The Audiology Image This issue has several articles on how audiology is perceived, both within the profession, as discussed at the Darwin Conference, and in the wider community. We are also looking at how we promote ourselves, in the commercial marketplace. Our front cover picture of the traditional fruit and vegetable market highlights the variety and all the things that need to be considered collectively to make audiology - audiology. The Perception or Fact pictures here give one media version. But how would you like to be represented visually? Send your pictures that challenge the world view of What an audiologist does to communications@audiology.asn.au info@audiology.asn.au 19 Audiology Now 61

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Infant Diagnostic Audiology: A new direction for Audiology Australia By Marg Anderson After 33 years with Australian Hearing in a variety of roles - audiologist, manager, trainer, marketing adviser, and finally national clinical learning and development coordinator - Marg Anderson now works as a free-lance consultant. For some time there has been discussion about the value of a national training program for audiologists involved in diagnostic audiology. Audiology Australia was interested in the views of audiologists and other stakeholders regarding what the course could look like and related issues, such as national standards and accreditation. I was engaged as an independent consultant to gather information and ideas from a range of stakeholders involved in this field. Emails were sent to a number of people who had been identified by the newborn diagnostic audiology (PANDA) group as key stakeholders, inviting them to participate in a survey - infant diagnostic audiologists, clinic managers, Australian Hearing audiologists, co-ordinators of infant screening programs, Masters of Clinical Audiology university staff, and parents. Comments were also sought from Prof Greg Leigh, Chair of the Australasian Newborn Screening Committee, Prof Suzanne Purdy and Dr Andrea Kelly, representing the New Zealand Audiological Society, and Dr Guy Lightfoot, Consultant Clinical Scientist in the UK who was heavily involved in writing national standards for hearing screening and diagnosis and now runs workshops on ERA. The original list of stakeholders expanded rapidly as individuals suggested we invite others to participate, and in the end 76 people answered a series of questions relevant to their interest and experience. A profile of the survey participants is in Figure 1, and distribution by state/territory is in Figure 2. Note that most of the clinic managers were also audiologists involved in assessing infants. More than half of the participants (55%) were interviewed face to face or on the phone, and the rest answered their questions by email. Most participants were asked three key questions: Do you think there is a need for national standards or protocols for infant diagnostic audiology? Do you think there is a need for a national training program for audiologists involved in infant diagnostic audiology? Do you support the idea of a 'certificate' or 'accreditation' program for specialty areas of audiology? The response to all three of these questions was a resounding 'yes'. The results are summarised in Figure 3. NATIONAL PROTOCOLS It was interesting that, despite the fact that 96% of clinicians said they followed some form of guidelines or protocols (ranging from hospital procedures to detailed standards based on the UK Newborn Hearing Screening Program standards), 92% supported the development of Australian protocols. A common benefit mentioned was consistency - better standard of care for children and families, improved accuracy, adequacy and interpretation of results for Australian Hearing audiologists, and standardization of reporting. - There is great variability in testing, interpretation and management across sites. - If ABR services are structured and systematic, children are more likely to be correctly diagnosed/ managed/followed-up, and will receive the same quality of care and management regardless of which centre they attend. - National protocols would avoid individual preference or comfort with choice of test and procedure. - IHSP and AH have consistent ways of dealing with babies, but there is nothing for the diagnostic phase of the process. info@audiology.asn.au 21 Audiology Now 61

NATIONAL TRAINING At present, all audiologists working in this field are trained on-the-job. The most common training method is demonstration, observation and atelbow supervision, gradually increasing the difficulty of the casework as the clinician's skills improve. This hands-on training model is supportive and effective for many learners, but the great weakness is that training is only as good as the trainer. 90% of participants supported a national training program, for similar reasons as national protocols: consistency - of practice, interpretation of results, efficiency, and level of care for families. Other benefits mentioned were: Relieve pressure on clinics to train new audiologists Provide consistent and equal skill development Ensure everyone is up to date, using best practice More predictability of skills for new employer Availability of training could make role more attractive - Important and long overdue. Currently it takes our clinic 12 months to train a clinician for ABR readiness. - Experience doesn't mean expertise. - It's important to 'get it right' for family. A real qualification is better than on the job training or osmosis acquired skills. It should change incorrect entrenched practices. Universities were asked to rate the level of competence of their graduates in 9 areas of skill and knowledge in assessing the hearing of infants. Almost all these areas were rated as requiring further practical training or direct support from an experienced clinician. The following comment from one university representative summarised the focus of the Masters in Clinical Audiology program. - Many (graduates) will never practice some specialties e.g. infant diagnostic testing, vestibular assessment, so the university programs can only ensure that students knowledge and skills in these areas are at developing levels which can quickly be supplemented by specialty training if the graduate later enters this area. ACCREDITATION 86% of participants supported the concept of accreditation of specialist audiology skills. A number of respondents said fantastic and excellent idea. There was a general feel that accreditation would be a way to acknowledge expertise and provide some certainty of skill levels which would be good for audiologists, employers and families. - Will ensure audiologist meets endorsed standards in diagnostic audiology and is accountable for achieving what (the standards) set out to do. - Families will have more faith that the person testing their child has been trained and has some accreditation. - A generic CCP is meaningless if you are working in a limited area such as infant diagnostics, cochlear implants, industrial audiology etc. Currently a hearing aid dispenser has the same CCP as an infant specialist but this does not ensure clinical competencies of either in each other's or even their own areas. - At the moment, parents are under the 'trusted assumption' that audiologists have the skills to do the job they do. In the future, they can't expect this to continue with NDIS and privatisation of AH. (Prof Greg Leigh) PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP PRESENTATION The survey results were presented to more than 50 participants at a preconference workshop held on 18 June before the 8th Australasian Newborn Screening Conference in Sydney. There was a time of discussion of each of these three areas and a chance to share ideas. The mood was very positive, with many reasonable concerns raised and practical suggestions made about how this could work in practice. These were collected and will be added to the pool of information gathered from the original survey participants. NEXT STEPS During his interview, Professor Leigh offered a piece of wise advice: It's important to write the standards first or else the course will have implicit standards that people would be expected to meet. I have experienced course first, standards second, and it doesn't work. Audiology Australia agrees, and they plan to concentrate first on developing a set of guidelines which focus on best outcomes for the baby and family, rather than detailed procedures or protocols which would likely be impossible to achieve consensus on. Training and accreditation will be a separate project under the banner of implementing the guidelines. Other information gathered through the consultation process - ideas, concerns, suggestions, offers - will be collated and passed on to the project teams. Members who have expressed an interest and were not included in the current survey will have the opportunity to contribute to this next phase of developing guidelines and training. Audiology Now 61 22 www.audiology.asn.au

Targeting unhealthy listening habits Late last year, the HEARing Cooperative Research Centre (HEARing CRC) launched HEARsmart - a new initiative to promote smarter hearing habits, aiming to reduce preventable noise-induced hearing loss associated with loud leisure noise. The program targets specific groups engaged in high-risk behaviours, as well as venues and legislative authorities involved in creating or regulating environments where excessive leisure noise occurs. Know Your Noise (knowyournoise.nal.gov.au) was the first HEARsmart promotional campaign. It was driven primarily by social media and the distribution of postcards Australia-wide (via Avant Card. It promoted the Know Your Noise website, which has two main features: a hearing test to help visitors determine their ability to hear speech in noise - this does not replace the need for clinical hearing assessments, but can recommend clinical follow up; and an online noise risk calculator that enables users to discover their personal risk of developing hearing loss as a consequence of their current listening habits, such as going to nightclubs, music concerts or after using personal music devices. The calculator was developed by researchers at NAL to estimate noise exposure risk based on lifestyle habits and to offer simple suggestions on how to optimally manage these risks. When assessing the risk of hearing loss risk from loud music, it is important to consider the duration as well as intensity of sound. This is especially relevant for clubbers, who typically spend a long time at clubs. If the average noise level of a nightclub is 98 decibels and the average time spent there is 5 hours, this will equate to a level of noise exposure equivalent to 12 times the daily limit allowed in Australian workplaces. Such exposure over an extended period of time will contribute significantly to the development of a hearing loss or tinnitus in the future. One of the key learnings from the Know Your Noise Campaign was the ability to successfully engage our target audience by using various different but complementary approaches. Getting our messages out through traditional media, social media and websites that young people hold in high regard, can create an ongoing awareness that we hope, given time, will result in a change in attitude and behaviour around loud sound. The HEARing CRC recently announced a second HEARsmart campaign, cofunded by the Deafness Foundation of Victoria - a pilot study that will help determine how live music venues in Australia can become more 'hearing friendly'. The study will work with a small number of live music venues to develop practical and cost-effective solutions to help reduce noise exposure for musicians, patrons and venue staff while maintaining or improving the fidelity of the music being heard. HEARing CRC researchers will measure noise levels at gigs and gain input from patrons and staff on their experience of sound and their exposure. The data will be analysed, the main noiseexposure risks identified, and in Image with permission from AventCard consultation with venue owners, a practical noise-reduction package will be developed. While the package will be venue-specific, we hope it will be adaptable so that, in time, it can be implemented in other similar music venues across Australia. The HEARsmart pilot project has the support of Music Victoria and other musician member-based organisations throughout Australia who will be asked to encourage uptake of the HEARsmart noise-reduction package in live music venues around Australia. The final 'package' is unknown, but could involve anything from free availability of hearing protection and poster campaigns to encourage proper use, to venue modifications to reduce reverberation, provision of quieter chill out spaces so patrons can take a break, or working with sound engineers to produce music at a safer level, while still being enjoyable to patrons. For more information about HEARsmart or to get involved, go to: hearsmart.org. info@audiology.asn.au 24 Audiology Now 61

Independence Matters: Professionalism in Healthcare By John Pearcy The Independence Matters Conference, held in Wellington, New Zealand in May 2015 was one in the Excellent in Education Program run by Independent Audiologists Australia. This particular event was a joint initiative between the Independent Audiologists groups of Australia and New Zealand. Jason Ridgeway, Chair of the Ethics Committee, and I, the Queensland Chapter Representative and an audiologist in independent private practice, had the pleasure of being invited to attend to represent Audiology Australia. The conference centred around the premise that Independence matters to healthcare consumers, practitioners and researchers The purpose was to consider fundamental issues such as how audiologists can demonstrate independence in the context of globalization, vertical integration, online availability of products and services. How we can demonstrate our independence when product sales are part of our clinical recommendations and how conflicts of interest can be resolved by regulation and codes of ethics. Some of the questions to be asked and discussed at the conference were: Do qualifications matter to professionals and to the public? Does regulation distinguish profession from industry? Why has the recognition of the profession lagged behind the establishment of audiology as an area of research and education? What is the impact of audiological procedures being adopted by other professionals such as pharmacists and optometrists? How do we as a profession respond to the negative public perception of Audiologists crystalised in the Australian Radio National Background Briefing program.. The presenters were all internationally recognized academics who had published on bioethics, mediation or professionalism. Paul Komesaroff is practicing physician and Professor of Medicine at Monash University with a background in philosophy and an international reputation in health care ethics. Ian Kerridge is an Associate Professor of Bioethics and the Director of the Centre for Values and Ethics and the Law in Medicine at the University of Sydney. Grant Gillet is a Professor in the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. Ron Paterson is a New Zealand Parliamentary Ombudsman and Professor of Law at the University of Auckland and was the New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner from 2000 to 2010. The keynote presentation by Prof Komesaroff focused on the concept that healthcare practitioners, like the rest of modern society, adopt a number of different social roles. In clinical and employment contexts - they may simultaneously serve as clinician, advocate, manager, employee or employer and a member of a professional association. Individuals may be bound by one or more codes of ethics in any given situation and possible conflicts may arise. Disclosure of conflicts is recommended though disclosure may be both complex and context sensitive. His role in the recent licensing of Chinese Medical Practitioners was insightful and instrumental for audiologists. Prof Kerridge focused on what people understand about the issues that influence their judgement and decision making. He asked, What point is served by declarations of interest? There are a wide range of people with different interests, ranging from professionals, patient organisations, professional associations, manufacturers of hearing care products and the public. How much information is needed and what needs to be done beyond a 'declaration' to manage the interests? Ron Patterson looked at why some professionals claim that the delivery of health care needs more trust and less regulation. However in his role as Ombudsman, he found that the best way to ensure safe practice was through regulation. The pathway for Audiology and emerging health professions to gain recognition via registration was mapped out from a New Zealand perspective. Prof Gillet discussed the concept that no part of research, research translation or clinical practice is independent of commercial influence and that this introduces an important source of bias. How should clinicians approach and use evidence when the evidence is provided by the suppliers of that evidence? The relationship between evidence based practice and patient centred care was highlighted. After listening, interacting and some vigorous debate on the topics from all the speakers, there was a general consensus that to help Audiology as a Profession regain and increase our credibility in the community, there needed to be an emphasis on declaration of interests and the removal of incentives for hearing aid sales. The major outcome was the consensus of the audiologists present that there needed to be regulation of the Audiology Profession. The best way forward was to work towards becoming Licensed Audiologists. The feeling and goals were harmonized and summarized in the Wellington Declaration. The link to the Declaration is: http://www.aaapp.org.au/wp- content/uploads/2015/05/the- WELLINGTON-DECLARATION-MAY- 2015.pdf Overall it was a wonderful conference with much lively and stimulating debate. Many thanks should go the organisers, speakers and participants. info@audiology.asn.au 25 Audiology Now 61

Outcomes of The Darwin Mini-Conference The Darwin Workshop was a talk fest - an opportunity for participants to express their views on the important strategic areas identified by the Audiology Australia Board. The backdrop was the seminar presentations, detailed in the report by our CEO. Each Working Group presented issues for discussion, highlighting key questions for debate. Participants split into groups and brain-stormed ideas for 15 minutes before rotating onto the next strategy area. It was a great way to capture ideas instantaneously and as Helen told us, it was just like speed dating! Participants selected one strategy area they wished to investigate intensively and work as a small group to formulate strategies which will help define the way forward. The outcomes of this stimulating think-tank exercise are summarized below. PROFILE OF AUDIOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA : HOW SPECIAL ARE WE? Workshop facilitators: Colleen Psarros, Bob Cowan, Jacy Fellows In summary, members felt that our profile in audiology could be reinforced by clearly defining to our major stakeholders What is an Audiologist? Clear consistent terminology amongst the profession was felt necessary to ensure the public were aware of what we do, our areas of specialty, and to develop trust with the community using media and education. Overwhelmingly an important step in raising our profile requires engaging the public in recognising audiology as a profession. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Self-regulation and registration Registration, licencing and certification have been explored in the past, but can be revisited. Some members felt only registration would provide the necessary credibility and protect members employed in business models with unethical work practices. Self-regulation was regarded as being ineffective. However, other professions report that registration can limit the scope of practice. The logistics of registration and discouragement by government bodies was also raised. Registration, may directly benefit to audiologists, but could be a strategic challenge to Audiology Australia itself. This is because if registration is successful, membership would no longer be the clinical practice standard accepted by government and employers. Audiology Australia will revisit the logistics, projected costs and benefits of registration and report back TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Specialisation in audiology Specialisation enables all stakeholders to increase their understanding of expertise and for members to validate their skill set as part of the CPD Program. It is an opportunity for standards within an audiology specialisation to be a benchmark for health, education and government regulation. Supporting members felt the NDIS was an opportunity to promote specialisation. Logistical issues were discussed with the idea of CPD activities requiring content specific activities. Others felt this could narrow the skills of audiologists, and that Universities could and/or should provide the training. Strategically, this can be used to raise the profile of Audiology Australia, as the organisation issuing the specialist certificates. Audiology Australia commissioned a survey on specialisation in paediatric diagnostics by Marg Anderson which found the majority of those surveys endorse the proposal. Members wanted specialisations to include paediatric diagnostics, paediatric hearing aids, vestibular assessment and management, newborn hearing diagnostics, and geriatrics. Audiology Now 61 26 www.audiology.asn.au

TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Service delivery models Service delivery models began a debate over terminology: Client, person, patient, recipient, family centred care were all proposed. Empowerment of clients, facilitating decisions and acting in the best interests of the client (family) with careful monitoring of client outcomes, and reviewing processes used were the factors identified as underpinning service delivery irrespective of the service being provided. ETHICS AND THE REGULATION OF PRACTICE IN AUDIOLOGY Workshop facilitators: Jason Ridgeway, Marian Jones, Jenny Smith TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Regulation of ethical practices Code of Ethics and Conduct, Professional Practice Standards and Complaints Procedures are approved policies but do we need procedures to apply them? Is it Audiology Australia's role to undertake auditing and sanctioning, or should it use an impartial body eg ISO and retain an educational focus? Can our logo be used to give an advantage and represent standards? Work with AHPA Develop a framework of practice accreditation based on ethical standards which we endorse and businesses can sign up to. Review the current sanction process. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Registration of the profession Registration will protect audiologists' scope of practice Work with AHPRA TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Remuneration Models There are many salary options available eg higher base rates, bonuses, incentives, commissions. What is acceptable? Clients will not question renumeration if they feel they receive ethical information The best client outcome is always the goal, but outcome based payment can be difficult to define Lobby OHS to ensure their payments are based on clientcentred outcomes. Separation of product (devices) and service (rehabilitation) costs and our role in devise selection is important in client - centred care ie - unbundling Survey members about terms and conditions of employment, view on commission etc Work with AHPA to develop guidelines for rates of pay Write a white paper detailing all perspectives eg current pay models, targets, KPIs etc Service delivery should align with client-centred practice and be suitably remunerated. Explore the unbundled sales model. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Structure and role of ethics committee How are ethics issues communicated to members? Are the ethics committee processes transparent? Is more education about ethics scenarios and business practice needed? eg payment structures, overprescription. Should the ethics committee include external members (eg legal, education, or consumer reps) Examine other professional codes regarding commission. Continuously review the code of ethics. info@audiology.asn.au 27 Audiology Now 61

TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Support our Members Members may feel isolated/ vulnerable in their workplace with employer pressure to meet sales targets and a focus on retail rather than clinical training How can we support members manage business vs ethics pressures? Can we empower members to negotiate terms and conditions of work? Are standardised individual service plans ( eg NDIS) a viable solution? Can Audiology Australia provide guidelines which help members manage disgruntled clients? Can the office provide more professional member support? Provide guidelines for ethical conduct, informed consent etc. Develop an CPD education package on applied ethics, Provide a position statement on renumeration models to help members foster client trust. Develop a young professionals special interest group to foster networks (< 3 years' experience) Review informed consent and reportability (eg 'elder abuse' and financial harm) TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Work with all stakeholders Work with ACAud, HAASA, HCIA, IAA for consensus on best practice and push back on sales and retail focus. Consider endorsing the Wellington Declaration. Work with employers and manufacturers to advocate for members and promote ethical practice, not just devices. Engage with NDIA/S to define audiology templates for individual service plans. Align our communication to Government with competition policy recommendations. Work with OHS to define a clear position and use them to pressure employers. Does the US 'Sunshine Act' requiring annual reporting and disclosure of interests have implications in Australia? Advocate the role and value of audiologists to the public. Ensure transparency of financial disclosure and clear pricing structures across all businesses. Engage with other organisations using regular think tanks Consider legislation re National Code of Conduct for Health Professionals Dialogue with NDIA/S on client empowerment and rehab focus. Collect evidence on "harm" (including financial harm), to inform Government. Simple clear strong statements to the public. Eg "This is how we are addressing the Radio National issue Promote audiologists to build trust and focus on rehabilitation over sales in the retail sector Above/ Jason Ridgeway and the Ethics workshop in deep discussion. Audiology Now 61 28 www.audiology.asn.au

AUDIOLOGY AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE Workshop facilitators: Amarjit Anand, John Pearcy TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Ability for direct referrals to Specialists. Extended scope of practice focused on audiologists ability to refer clients directly to ENT. There were issues about ENT access in regional areas. OHS clearance for hearing aids to be done by Audiologists rather than GPs. Direct referrals to ENTs exists in the UK. Discuss with Board how to take the topic forward. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Registration Registration is required before specialisation is recognised. Specialisation may need a separate category of registration AHPRA TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Advance Scope of Practice: otoscopy Training in advanced Otoscopy. Make videotoscopy and cerumen removal part of routine practice, taught in the Universities Discussion with Universities about current curricula TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Advance Scope of Practice: Prescribing or Pharmacy Rights Queensland University of Technology (QUT) pharmacy rights training for Allied Health Professionals was presented as a possible model and training for Audiologists discussed. There should be an overarching framework and member guidelines Suggestion for training by Universities, not the professional body. Training should be accredited and regularly updated in line with Pharmacy updates and a certified training program. There are issues around accountability and limits for prescribing rights for Audiologists. Eg topical medication prescription for Otitis Externa particularly for hearing aid users. Also treatment for sudden sensorineural loss. Some members did not favour extended scope of practice in urban settings, but agreed it is useful for rural remote settings. Further discussion around medico-legal implications, for both audiologists and employers. How did Podiatrists/Optometrists obtained prescribing rights? Discussion with QUT and Speech Pathology Australia who have scoped QUT requirements. Medico-legal and indemnity implications to be researched. Investigate with Podiatry/ Optometry regarding the process for prescribing rights. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Fundingapproaching Government Support from Government for Medicare referrals and extended scope of practice for audiology is needed. Discuss how to engage Government at Board level. Members who did not attend the Darwin Conference, but would like to express their opinions please send a Letter to the Editor, email: communications@audiology.asn.au. info@audiology.asn.au 29 Audiology Now 61

EDUCATION AND MEMBER COMMUNICATION Workshop facilitators: Caitlin Grenness, Helen Goulios, Holly Veale, Eliza Pickard Our working group encompasses the Internship program, the Certificate of Clinical Practice and University liaison. However, the results of our 2013 membership survey indicated that CPD is a priority and we utilised the opportunity to explore members' perspectives, concerns and ideas on continuing education. service innovation client benefit quality improvement career development TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION What is good about our CPD program? Networking Keeps clinicians current Standardized National and state-based programs Maintains OHS registration Incentive to continue learning. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION What can we improve/ what is challenging? Inefficiencies in the process for obtaining points/evaluation Costs (variable / unequal) Access (currently urban-centric) Concerns about the endorsement process and decisions Not using online to full potential Topics to meet everyone's needs. Developing a strategy for CPD across the country to overcome statebased differences and inequities. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION What content or topics would be included? Ask us regularly Variety Push our knowledge Consider journal groups or online interactions between members. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION In an ideal world how events would be presented? Mix of formats to maximise access Greater use of elearning / webinars Library of all events online Optimizing use of online services for managing your CPD and for providing CPD. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Who should run / develop CPD events? Utilize Universities and organisations such as NAL Variety (Audiology Australia and external; Chapters and Board) Simplifying endorsement processes, Obtaining points, Managing CPD cycle including endorsed versus independent. TOPIC MEMBER COMMENTS ACTION Other issues raised Efficiency of internship program Better utilize the website Better communication between Chapters and Board Discuss CPD and specialisation Give lots of notice for events. Audiology Now 61 30 www.audiology.asn.au

New Oticon Medical Streamer and ConnectLine App connects Ponto Plus sound processors to iphone, ipad, ipod touch and Android devices We are happy to announce the launch of the Oticon Medical Streamer, which together with the ConnectLine App will enable Ponto Plus sound processor users to control their bone anchored hearing solutions and their ConnectLine system with just a tap of their iphone, ipad, ipod touch and Android smartphone or tablet. The ConnectLine App features: Intuitive and discreet remote control of Ponto Plus sound processors via Oticon Medical Streamer Easy adjustment of the volume and easy change of programs Clear overview of the ConnectLine system Easy selection and customisation of ConnectLine sources The ConnectLine App is available for free on the App Store and on Google Play. 159257INT / 03.2015 The ConnectLine App runs on iphone 6 Plus, iphone 6, iphone 5s, iphone 5c, iphone 5, iphone 4s, iphone 4, ipad Air, ipad mini with Retina display, ipad mini, ipad (3rd and 4th generation), ipad 2, ipod touch (5th generation) and Android smartphones and tablets. In order to use the ConnectLine App with Ponto Plus, it requires Oticon Medical Streamer distributed by Oticon Medical. When installing the ConnectLine App on ipad, search for iphone apps in App Store. The Oticon Medical Streamer is a new product, which replaces the previous product, Ponto Streamer. Please visit www.oticonmedical.com/connectlineapp for more details on compatibility. Apple, the Apple logo, iphone, ipad, and ipod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc. www.oticonmedical.com

Himalayan Health and Hearing Program Update By Sue and Lew Tuck You may have previously read about the activities of the HearingNEPAL Program in Audiology Now Issue 50. This is an update of the activities of the Program, and how many people are offering their time, financial assistance and support in all sorts of ways to help make it work. On 25th April 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale hit Nepal, killing more than 8,800 people and injuring more than 23,000 others. HearingNEPAL employee, Keshab was the first to reach areas of devastation. His email received on 28th April 2015 read: We are first supporter to support this earthquake victim area. People are so happy to get our support. They thanks and bless us from their heart. With regards, Keshab Now more than 2 months after the devastating earthquakes, we are able to continue to assist with relief efforts alongside our general health and hearing camps. Keshab was able to use the Hearing Program's car to deliver aid, firstly food and hygiene items, and now roofing iron until our donations are used up. The aim is to get some shelters up before the monsoon which is now upon parts of the country. The families provide the recycled materials and labour to build temporary homes. Our website www.himlayanhealthand hearing.org has regular updates of how donations are being spent. DEVELOPING A HEARING HEALTH PROGRAM Hearing NEPAL Program commenced in early 2010 by a couple of Australian hearing care professionals, who established a working relationship with a grass-roots hearing self-help group in Nepal, Nepal Association of the Hard of Hearing (NAHOH). Early in 2014, the Program was granted DGR status under AusAID, meaning that all donations over $2 received in Australia, receive a tax deduction. As the Program has evolved and continual experience has helped guide and shape the way we work together, a broader vision has emerged under the banner of Compassion in Action. In August 2014, the Program adopted a name change to Himalayan Health and Hearing Program. This decision was taken based on several factors: Work is now being requested outside of Nepal, in both southern India and Ladakh in northern India, with plans for Sikkim. Our scope of service delivery has expanded to other areas of health on an as-needs basis, and where the capacity to help is clear. For example, projects have been delivered in conjunction with a German Eye Specialist. Keshab, the Otology Assistant from NAHOH, is a trained Community Medical Assistant (CMA), able to treat primary health conditions, such as respiratory and minor infections using the drugs available from the Ear Camp stocks. Our regular work is now in conjunction with a local health centre, Karuna-Shechen Clinic and Hospice, which provides health care in outreach camps in the Kathmandu Valley. Attendees can now access a specialist ear clinician as well as a doctor, pharmacist and nurse for general health checks and treatment. ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2014 Five remote hearing care Camps Total attendance: 1807 (916 were 21yrs &under) Combined Camps. The purchase of a 4WD Jeep enabled us to join the Shechen Clinic & Hospice medical camps in the Kathmandu Valley, and they joined our Nepal NAHOH camps. Ear camps in Kathmandu Valley: 31 (24 combined with SC&H). Total attendance: 2,788 persons, all ages, without discrimination. Primary ear care and ear surgeries for people in Kathmanadu Our Nepali staff maintain their NAHOH clinic in Kirtipur, doing all from primary ear care to hearing testing, fitting of hearing aids and earmould-making. They also arrange follow-up with local ENT surgeons who provide free surgical services. Provision of hearing devices. Over 500 hearing aids as well as assistive listening devices (ALD's) for the elderly have been fitted since we started in 2010. Audiology Now 61 32 www.audiology.asn.au

Follow-up camps to areas visited previously continue, to ensure ongoing training in the maintenance and use of hearing aids, together with supply of batteries and spare parts. Resources for education (posters) are gradually being revised and improved with cultural awareness. Cochlear implantees can access our parts bank which provides free replacement for components, to prevent CI processors falling into disrepair and disuse. Above/ Keshab Dangol, Otology Assistant also has primary health care qualifications HEALTH AND HEARING - THE WAY FORWARD The major determinants of health lie outside the health system, with multiple factors contributing to ear health and all other health conditions associated with disadvantage. This has led us to broaden our focus to health and hearing. Through this approach, in January 2015 with the trust of partner Nepali organisations, we have now been asked to participate in a women's health program in Dhanusha district, Nepal. The focus of this program is Pelvic Organ Prolapse (PoP) and will involve screening, education and treatment, with severe cases being referred to a hospital for surgical correction. There is a high incidence of untreated pelvic organ prolapse (PoP) in Nepal, which is now being recognised, and screening and treatment programs are being offered in conjunction with Government services. We have committed to supporting a 12 month program - organised in the 10 Village Development Committees (VDC's) located in an area with a high level of poverty and illiteracy. The cost to deliver this Program to approximately 25,000 women is around AUS $17,000. 4 Ear Camps over the 12 months will be offered in conjunction with this program to maximise the cost of travel to this remote region for monitoring of the PoP program. THANK YOU We would like to recognise the help we have received this year from all sorts of people and places. Jade Frederiksen and James McLennan donated many hours of time in cleaning, checking, programming and organising used hearing aids for use on the upcoming Ear Camps. Personal challenges were undertaken by 2 major supporters, James McLennan (beard shave off) and Jodie Stewart and Eddie Bosloper (1/2 marathon) raising significant funds for HH&H. Used audiology equipment in good working order has been donated and freighted to us by Neurosensory Unit, Brisbane. Peter Bosloper (Bozzy) at GN Otometrics donated many hours of time and expertise in calibrating the equipment used in Nepal. Hearing aid manufacturers continue to give support through refurbishment of aids, supply of software and programming accessories, and through back-up support and advice. FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.himalayanhealthandhearing.org https://www.facebook.com/himalayanh ealthandhearing. TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT FOR HEALTH WORKERS Salaried Staff. The wages of the Nepali service providers were paid, and expenses as per agreements with NAHOH, in recognition of the quality of the service and care they provide. Staff Training. Both in Kathmandu and on remote Ear Camps, training for local health clinic staff has been provided together with equipment for examining and treating ears. Hearing Aids. Donations of good second-hand hearing aids and parts for cochlear implants continue to come in from clinics and individuals all around the country. Pre-programming of aids to check sound quality, and labelling the power level continues as part of the program. Anyone willing and able to prepare hearing aids for fitting, please get in touch via the website. We can offer a desk to do this here in the Whitsundays if you want to come spend some time here and help out HH&H in your travels! Above/ A team approach allows a more holistic approach to primary health care. info@audiology.asn.au 33 Audiology Now 61

HID * (Plug and Play)

Australian Government Department! of Health Office of Hearing Services Notes from the Office The commencement of the 2015-16 financial year has seen implementation of the new hearing service provider contract and Hearing Rehabilitation Outcomes. Feedback from service providers through the consultation process has supported development of a contract with clauses that have been simplified and have a clearer purpose. Now that 2014-15 is complete, the Office is compiling data that will provide an overview of utilisation of the Hearing Services Program (the program) for the year, including information on who is accessing services. You might be interested to know that in 2014-15: around 270 hearing providers delivered services under the program; almost 670,000 Voucher clients received these services; and the average client age increased from 79 to 80. If you are interested in other program statistics for 2014-15, these will be available on the Office website at www.hearingservices.gov.au from August 2015. Other recent news from the Office that may be of interest to practitioners: Deferment of Decision on Future Ownership Options for Australian Hearing & National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition The Government announced on 8 May 2015, that it would consult further with hearing loss advocacy groups and other key stakeholders before making a decision on ownership options for Australian Hearing in the second half of 2015. A series of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Transition Information Sessions were held in June 2015 for stakeholders who had previously been consulted on the Australian Hearing scoping study or who had a specific interest in understanding the implications for Australian Hearing in the context of the NDIS. NDIS Transition Planning workshops, held around Australia, commenced in mid-july 2015 and information is available on the Office website at www.hearingservices.gov.au. New Provisions in the Service Provider Contract The new service provider contract includes a number of key changes including: a requirement to participate in the annual self-assessment audit process; a revised Hearing Rehabilitation Outcomes document; and a new clause that requires all service providers to declare any conflict of interest to the Office, including disclosure to clients of any preferred provider relationships. More guidance on how service providers can meet their obligations in regard to these clauses is now available as fact sheets, Conflict of Interest Clause and Disclosure Clause on the Office website. Information about the changes to the contract is also available in CSPN 2015/11. Client Rights and Responsibilities Poster To reflect updates to the hearing service provider contract, the Client Rights and Responsibilities poster has also been updated. It is a requirement under the contract that this poster be displayed at all service provider sites. Copies of the poster can be ordered for free or downloaded from the Office website at www.hearingservices.gov.au. Hearing Services Online Release The most recent Hearing Services Online (HSO) portal soft release went live in August 2015. As a soft release, there has been a transition period of approximately eight weeks whereby hearing service providers have been able to use the new HSO functions or choose not to, while they build familiarity with the system improvements. Inclusions in the soft release enable hearing service providers to: submit most manual claims from the client details screen; print correspondence including the welcome pack and voucher details directly; and check eligibility, the status of a voucher, and who a client's last known provider was by clicking the new 'check if you are already in the program' button. The HSO User and Quick Reference Guides have been updated to incorporate these changes and are available for use on the User Guides page of the Office website. Further information about this HSO release is available in CSPN 2015/13. info@audiology.asn.au 35 Audiology Now 61

Free Promotional Postcards The Office continues to make available (at no cost) two promotional postcards, which promote and encourage access to hearing services. Both postcards can be viewed on the website. Additional information and details on how to order can be found in CSPN 2015/01. There are currently no limits on the number of postcards that can be ordered, and they are suitable for use in a range of venues, including hearing service provider reception areas; senior citizens' centres; hairdressers and other locations where postcards can be displayed. Practitioners and hearing service providers who have already ordered and received postcards are welcome to order more if they wish. Orders can be submitted via email to hearing@health.gov.au. Hearing Awareness Week The Office has provided some sponsorship of Hearing Awareness Week, 23-29 August 2015, through the Deafness Forum of Australia. Practitioners and hearing service providers in the Canberra region will be able to visit us, and find out more about the program, at the Hearing Awareness Week Expo, to be held at the Hellenic Club in Woden, on Wednesday 26 August. For people living in other areas of Australia, you will find a list of Hearing Awareness Week events at www.hearingawarenessweek.org.au. Keeping up to date with information from the Office You can keep up to date with all that is going on from the Office through the What's New page on our website. A Rich Site Summary (RSS) Feed is available for subscription and more information on how to subscribe to the RSS feed is in CSPN 2014/22. The Office welcomes any feedback and suggestions on the website and the HSO portal. To send us your feedback or to seek any further assistance about the program, you can email hearing@health.gov.au, or use the Feedback link on the website. The Audiology Australia Sean Fitzpatrick Rural and Remote Student Scholarships Australia is well recognized for the high quality of its audiology education programs, with our graduates being highly sought after both nationally and internationally. This is largely due to the depth and breadth of education provided at our five accredited university programs. This includes extensive clinical placements that are supported by our members who voluntarily contribute as Clinical Educators. However, the majority of these placements are located in city and metropolitan areas, and some in regional areas. Very few Master of Audiology students have the opportunity to complete placements in rural and remote communities, where the prevalence of ear disease is amongst the highest in the world. One of the main reasons for this is the high cost of travelling to remote Australian locations, limiting the number of students who are able to access this experience. Audiology Australia has recognized this, and in order to promote the role of audiologists in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ear disease in rural and remote communities and to raise awareness of the impact of hearing impairment and deafness, the Board of Audiology Australia has agreed to award scholarships to students of accredited Australian University Audiology programs every academic year. Each university will be given a sum of $2000 to distribute to students attending clinical placements in rural and remote locations. These awards will be known as the Audiology Australia Sean Fitzpatick Rural and Remote Scholarships in memory of Sean Fitzpatrick whose passion for audiology and work in paediatrics, particular in remote parts of Australia has inspired many other audiologists to follow his lead*. Each Chapter has the responsibility of working with their local University in the selection and awarding of scholarships with the first round being awarded in the 2015 calendar year. Each student awarded a scholarship will be required to write a short essay on their experiences during the rural and remote placement, and we look forward to reading these in future editions of Audiology Now. * Sean Fitzpatrick's achievements in Audiology and his work in Rural and Remote Communities were highlighted in the Autumn 2014 edition of Audiology Now. Audiology Now 61 36 www.audiology.asn.au

It s Time. The Ultimate Hearable Meets the Ultimate Wearable. Halo now compatible with Apple Watch Announcing another hearing breakthrough that will help attract more patients to your practice Halo hearing aids and Apple Watch come together to create happier, more connected patients. New TruLink Hearing Control app for Apple Watch provides your patients even more ways to easily control and personalise their hearing experience so they can hear better and live better. In addition to all of the TruLink functionality with iphone, patients can use their Apple Watch to: Control volume easily and effortlessly in any environment Change memories to personalised settings to optimize audibility, comfort and sound quality Mute hearing aid microphones to block out surrounding noises For further information contact Starkey Hearing Technologies on 1800 024 985 Made for ipod, Made for iphone, and Made for ipad mean that an electronic accessory has been designed to connect specifically to ipod, iphone, or ipad, respectively, and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards. Apple is not responsible for the operation of this device or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Please note that the use of this accessory with ipod, iphone, ipad or Apple Watch may affect wireless performance. Apple, the Apple logo, iphone, ipad, and ipod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Halo and TruLink are compatible with iphone 6 Plus, iphone 6, iphone 5s, iphone 5c, iphone 5, iphone 4s, ipad Air 2, ipad Air, ipad (4th generation), ipad mini 3, ipad mini with Retina display, ipad mini, ipod touch (5th generation) and Apple Watch. Use of Apple Watch requires iphone 5 or later. 2015 Starkey. All Rights Reserved.

A world s first: CICs with enhanced directionality.

NSW/ACT News BY YETTA ABRAHAMS NSW/ACT Chapter While many of us have been complaining about the plummeting temperature around our state, we have been able to celebrate the recent Australasian Newborn Hearing Screening Conference (ANHSC) which was held in Sydney June 19-20. The conference is held every 2 years, and welcomes a variety of professionals involved in the newborn hearing screening sector who share the current issues and research in the field. Dr Guy Lightfoot and Dr Christine Yoshinaga Itano were the keynote presenters this year, with Christine also presenting the 2015 Libby Harricks Memorial Oration. Hot topics included an ongoing increased focus on outcomes, with the next instalment of the Longitudinal Outcomes for Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study being presented. An additional focus was the discussion between state screening programs around how to better link children's screening results in to other services, audiological and beyond. Unilateral hearing loss in children is also emerging as a focus area with a number presenters talking about the challenges of audiological management given the early diagnosis of this type of hearing loss. The State Chapter have been spending time focussing on the CPD calendar for the year ahead, and many of you would have seen the invitation to the seminar on Tinnitus Treatments and Evidence Based Practice" on Saturday, 1 August 2015. This activity has been endorsed for 5 CPD points under Activity Code AESA, and participants are welcome to register on-line, or send registration forms through to the Audiology Australia office. The keynote speaker for this event is Dr Kim Wise. Dr Wise is a Lecturer at the University of Canterbury. Her PhD thesis titled Auditory Attention and Tinnitus explores new avenues for tinnitus treatment and we are delighted to have her analysis of tinnitus treatments as a whole and her own research in particular. Dr Catherine McMahon and Dr Celene McNeil are also presenting on the day. We are currently planning additional CPD events to run outside of Sydney over the next year. At this stage we are looking at Port Macquarie and Canberra but are also keen to consider other locations, and with this in mind we will be getting feedback from NSW/ACT members about preferred locations for CPD events in the coming months. We will also have an additional day in November at The Australian Hearing Hub at Macquarie focussed on working with clients who are elderly. Further information will be distributed by email soon! SUNDAY 22 TO WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 2016 MELBOURNE CONVENTION CENTRE MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA Register your interest or intent to attend Regi your ster interest to attend the Audiology Australia National Conference 2016 at www.audiology.consec.com.au or Email Consec Conference and Event Management with your name, organisation, telephone and email details to audiology@consec.com.au Sponsorship/Exhibition For information regarding sponsorship or trade exhibition opportunities at the Audiology Australia National Conference 2016, contact Aaron Neame - aaron@consec.com.au info@audiology.asn.au 39 Audiology Now 61

Victorian News Olivia Hillenaar Vic/Tas Chapter The Vic/Tas Chapter was excited to welcome our new CEO, Dr Tony Coles to the June meeting. It was fantastic to meet Tony in person and hear first hand about some of his visions for Audiology Australia. It is clear his experience and enthusiasm will add significant value to Audiology at a local and national level which will have a positive impact on our members, our profession and the community. As the National Conference Local Organising Committee, the Vic/ Tas Chapter is continuing to work with the National Conference Committee to produce the most amazing audiology conference yet! Considerations and planning have been around the conference theme as well as Key note speakers and Round Table discussions. We are hugely excited about the event and are looking forward to the 22nd- 25th May, 2016! In June, the Audiological Practice Seminar was held for Second Year University of Melbourne Audiology students. During this event, a range of audiologists spoke about their careers and the factors and influences that led them to take their chosen paths. A social event followed the seminar giving students the opportunity to chat further with the presenters. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT July saw the National Board Roadshow, Models of Service Delivery reach both Victoria and Tasmania. This event reviewed the World Health Organisation International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework for delivery of person-centred audiological care. This biopsychosocial approach is associated with a rehabilitative model of clinical practice, rather than a medical model and was well received by attendees. I would encourage those who were unable to attend their local Roadshow event to read the Position Paper, WHO are we hear for? Models of Service Delivery which is located on the Audiology Australia website to consider a new approach to the way in which you manage your patients. FAREWELL In July, the University of Melbourne's Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology said farewell to two highly respected, well regarded, longstanding staff members, Angela Marshall and Judy Lockie. Both have been at the University of Melbourne for over 40 years. ANGELA MARSHALL: Angela entered audiology after completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology in 1975 at the University of Melbourne. Her Postgraduate Diploma in Audiology was completed in 1976 followed soon after by a Master of Science in Audiology in 1981. Upon completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Audiology in 1976, Angela joined the clinical teaching team where she has held several positions, most recently, Senior Lecturer. Angela has made a significant contribution to the University and to the audiology profession in many different ways, including: organisation of student placements; lecturing; course coordination and development of adult testing protocols. Angela also had a huge impact on course development enabling the audiology program to transition from two one-year courses to the two-year Master of Clinical Audiology course that it is currently. Over the years, Angela gained international knowledge and brought this back to the University after obtaining a grant to study for five weeks in the United States and Canada in 1978 and completing the Tinnitus and Hyperacausis Master Class in London in 2012. Through her passion and commitment, the University of Melbourne's Audiology course has evolved significantly into an internationally respected school for audiological excellence. Throughout her whole career, Angela continued her clinical work primarily in adult diagnostic and rehabilitative areas as well as tinnitus counselling and management. Angela's passion for education and individualised patient care has had a huge positive impact on the lives of both audiologists and patients. This passion was acknowledged in 1996 when Angela was awarded the Audiological Society of Australia Certificate of Outstanding Service in Recognition of Services to the Profession of Audiology. In addition to these achievements, Angela has impeccably high clinical and professional standards, an incredible eye for detail and an amazing memory! Although she has already attended one Audiology Now 61 40 www.audiology.asn.au

CPD event three days post retiring, Angela is now looking forward to continuing to watch her two children become wonderful adults, both of whom will be marrying later this year. JUDY LOCKIE: Judy entered audiology after completing a Bachelor of Science in 1974 followed by a Graduate Diploma of Audiology at the University of Melbourne in 1975. Judy followed her keen interest in clinical communication and effective education by going on to complete a Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy in 2003 and Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education in 2006. Judy began her career in audiology education as a clinical tutor at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in 1976 and then joined the clinical teaching team at the University of Melbourne in 1980. At the University, Judy was responsible for teaching decades of young audiologists the nuances of paediatric audiology and was a mentor to many paediatric audiologists. Judy was also responsible for introducing and adding an evidence base to teaching professionalism and ethics; clinical communication; clinical teaching; education theory and clinical reasoning all of which significantly enriched the audiology course. It is because of Judy's passion for the importance of quality clinical education and her wealth of knowledge in professionalism and ethics, that she was invited to join the teaching staff for the Monash University Graduate Certificate of Health Professional Education and Master of Health Professional Education course in 2011, where she continues to teach part time. Although Judy is continuing her work with Monash University she is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren. Over their careers, Angela and Judy have both taught almost 1000 Australian audiologists; that's more than one third of the Audiology Australia membership! As Victorian audiologists, we would like to sincerely thank Angela and Judy for their dedication to our patients, our audiologists and our profession. Their passion and commitment has changed the lives of so many. They will be deeply missed by their friends and colleagues who all wish them the very best for the future. Northern Territory News BY PETER DUNCAN AND MATTHEW CALLAWAY NT Chapter Greetings from another sunny winter in Darwin, which was also enjoyed by the approximately 120 delegates who attended the Darwin Issues in Professional Practice mini-conference over the first weekend in June. We trust the delegates that travelled here enjoyed equally warm local hospitality. Lively, productive discussion occurred in the workshops around challenging and topical subjects facing Audiology, including ethics and practice regulation, the profile of the profession in Australia, and its relationship to Primary Health Care. The outcomes from the conference will help guide the profession, and the chairing of this event by Audiology Australia President Professor Louise Hickson and the involvement of new Audiology Australia CEO, Dr Tony Coles, was universally welcomed. We look forward to Tony Coles' return visit to Darwin in August, which will include a video-link for members in Alice Springs into the meeting. The annual NT Hearing Services (NTHS) in-service was held in June. As is always the case, this is a forum for a broad range of topics, from general audiology to the specific challenges faced in service provision in the NT, and key annual event for face to face networking of audiologists across the NT who are otherwise spread far and wide for most of the year. In great news for enhancing the hearing care of all Territorians, the Royal Darwin Hospital is establishing a new audiology suite as part of the Allied Health Department relocation and facility upgrade. The move is planned for August this year. The team at RDH, namely Prasha Sooful and Samantha Langford-Wilson, have been busy organising activities for Hearing Awareness Week. Building on the success of last year, TEABBA (Indigenous) radio and members from the NT Thunder AFL team will again promote healthy hearing messages to patients, staff and visitors at RDH and out to remote communities via a live broadcast. Local audiological representation will also occur at the Royal Darwin Show which occurs in the final weekend in July. In social news, proud English parents Lisa Dawson and Graeme Crossland have welcomed a brand new Australian baby, young Rowan. Similar moves are afoot at NTHS, with senior audiologist Beck Matthews about to take maternity leave for her third child: we wish her all the best. The best looking fellow in our NT Audiology family, Rowan Crossland. info@audiology.asn.au 41 Audiology Now 61

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South Australian News BY KATRINA LIGHT SA Chapter Our May CPD event left attendees saying wow, didn't realise you did so much. SA members heard from Mary Dillon from Your Employment Success (YES). YES is specific to SA. Other states have similar services, although typically under a generic disability service with association with the local Deaf society. YES is a specialist service helping deaf/hard-of-hearing/hearing impaired people to find employment, or remain in their current employment by providing support. YES is clientfocused, and will provide services, for example, in resume writing, interviews, job search, advocacy, court representation, training support, support at medical appointments, or to explain themself to the police for any misdemeanours. Due to co-morbidity with other medical or mental health issues, YES staff may be involved in housing, training, relationship counselling - they are employed to work with the person as a whole person, and so not limited to explicitly work-specific needs. YES was set-up in 2003 and initially the funding was capped to one staff member and nine clients. In 2010 the funding cap was lifted, and now today YES cares for 200 active clients and employs 15 staff in the capacity of either a Job Search or a Support consultant. Job search is typically done from a reverse marketing perspective, whereby the specific skills of that individual are marketed to potential employers. In order to improve the probability that jobs will be available for the individual, YES employs an analyser who can closely analyse the labour market to know the industries which are booming and declining, and as such clients are encouraged to undertake the appropriate training/study. Eligibility criteria for YES services include: hearing impairment (to any extent), Australian resident, not working (or their job is in jeopardy because of their HL), aged 15-65 years. Someone can be referred to YES from another service or present themselves directly to one of the five YES offices around Adelaide. YES also works with the employers to access funding for workplace modifications, such as flashing lights, ipad, alarm clock, etc. But our CPD events don't end there :...we have an endorsed event on Tuesday 11 August when we will be fortunate to hear from Miriam Westcott regarding Hyperacusis and Acoustic Shock. Then we have another SA Chapter meeting on Wednesday 9 September accompanied by a presentation on Implantable Devices. Both of these next meetings will be at Flinders University, and start at 6pm. As part of Hearing Awareness Week, there will be a full-day professional workshop, titled Where are we now and Where are we heading?, on Tuesday 25th August at Balyana conference Centre. There are a range of local and interstate presenters. Also during Hearing Awareness Week, there will be a Movie Night on Wednesday 26th August at Hoyts Norwood - be on the look out for the announcement. SA has seen a recent change to tinnitus services. Specifically, due to the closing of a private practice in SA, the State Government funded tinnitus service - Tinnitus SA has closed. As a profession and for our consumers, we hope this is a temporary closure. However, given the change from bulk funding to individual funding, there are several implications for information services such as Tinnitus SA. The issues do not specifically rest with the introduction of NDIS, but rather where the funding should be sought and if it is now available. There has been some exciting social news in SA. We all wish Bianca Liersch, Audiologist UNHS, all the very best following the arrival of her beautiful little girl, Edith. Katrina Light, our SA Chapter Secretary, also welcomed a baby boy, Luke Robert Buchanan born 834am 7/7/15, weighing 3434kg. Congratulations to James on his new brother. Finally we congratulate our SA Chapter chair, Holly Veale, and wish her all the very best for her pending wedding. Holly was romantically proposed to by her partner (now fiancé) Aaron while travelling in America during May of this year. VALE - CATH BONNES By David May It is with sadness that I advise that Cath Bonnes (AM) of Broken Hill passed away Wednesday 24.6.2015 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, aged 94. She has been a long term friend and colleague to many in the hearing industry. My association with her stems back some 25 years when she was involved with Better Hearing Australia. Many of you would have known of her work before my time. Cath is remembered by her dedication to the hearing sector and to those with intellectual disabilities. Her influence has been on a policy and personal level. She has been instrumental during her time in founding the Broken Hill Hearing Resource Centre, chair of Deafness Forum and she has been a strong consumer advocate for the Office of Hearing Services. She spoke at the 1997 Senate inquiry into services for hearing impaired children. She has been instrumental in facilitating visits to Broken Hill from specialists and experts in the field. Her list of achievements has been endless. She has been a strong role model for so many, having a severe to profound hearing loss herself. I for one, will miss her fun, her seriousness, her dedication and overall, her genuine outback attitude. info@audiology.asn.au 43 Audiology Now 61

West Australian News BY BEC BENNETT WA Chapter Australia's leading medical education event for General Practice The General Practitioner Conference & Exhibition,, was held in Perth last month. Hearing and audiology took center stage with guest speakers from Australian Hearing and Lions Hearing Clinic. Attending General Practitioners appeared most interested in emerging research showing the associations between hearing loss and cognitive decline, as well as some of the emotional consequences of untreated hearing loss, such as anxiety and depression. The UWA Audiology program has been proactive in recognising the evolution of our professional scope of practice from a technology-based" approach towards a collaborative/counselling approach to aural rehabilitation, and introduced a series of six evening seminars for students and their clinical supervisors focussed on counselling in Audiology. Guest lecturers included Mr Pat Marwick (Social Worker and Director of North Metropolitan Mental Health Services) speaking on general models of counselling, family counselling and models of grief and disability counselling; Dr Vesna Maric on counselling in managing tinnitus, acoustic shock and sound tolerance patients; Dr Dunay Taljaard on the audiologist's role in paediatric and family counselling and Dr Helen Goulios and Mrs Karen Parfitt on counselling in adult aural rehabilitation programs. AUDIOLOGY AUSTRALIA WA CHAPTER SUPPORT RURAL AND REMOTE AUDIOLOGISTS Preparations for the WA Audiology Australia State Conference are underway. To support rural and remote audiologists in WA we would like to offer a complimentary pass to two rural/remote audiologists to this year's WA State conference. To be eligible your primary place of employment must be more than 100km from Perth CBD. To enter the competition please email a 300 word summary on why you enjoy working in rural or remote WA to bec.bennett@earscience.org.au by 30th August 2015. Two winners will be selected by group vote at the September chapter meeting. Winners will be contacted via email and the winning entries published in the fourth quarter Audiology Now magazine. SAVE THE DATE The Audiology Australia WA State Conference 2015 will be held on Friday 20th November, at Hillarys Yacht Club. The conference will cover a range of topics including gerontology, noise induced hearing loss, ototoxicity and the role of audiologists in the operating theatre. Keynote speaker Professor Billy Martin (National University of Singapore) will also be presenting a full day workshop on Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and Misophonia on Thursday 19th November. Further details will be circulated through Audiology Australia closer to the date. The Ear Science Institute Australia will hold their 5th annual research symposium "A Life Worth Hearing" on Friday 4th September, at The Boulevard Centre, Floreat. The symposium will exhibit national and international guest speakers on ear and hearing research in a range of fields including clinical, ehealth, epidemiology, cognition and molecular biology research. Key note speaker Dr Ariane Laplante-Lévesque (Eriksholm Research Centre, Denmark) will also be presenting two side workshops on Help-seeking for hearing impairment and Motivation of people with hearing impairment towards rehabilitation: Theory and Practice. For more information visit www.thecentre.org. au ROOMS FOR LEASE We are a newly renovated and furnished clinic looking for medical practitioners and allied health workers to work on the premises.we are located on the very busy Heaths Rd, across from Werribee Plaza. This is a great opportunity for practitioners wanting to increase their client base in this fast paced growing area. For more information and inquiries contact info@healthcarechiro.com Vacant Audiologist Position At a new clinic located in Sydney s Inner west For enquiries: 0406 268 549 o.alsayed@a2zmedical.com.au Audiology Now 61 44 www.audiology.asn.au

Queensland News BY JOHN PEARCY QLD Chapter The Queensland Chapter is looking forward to presenting the highly successful workshops on Models of Service Delivery and the Ethics Roadshow. These two important events which challenge the way we work will be presented as a double package so we do hope members will come with their piercing questions and stimulate debate. The event will be in Brisbane on 22nd August and in Townsville on 11th September. Please save the date and look out for the details to follow. Meanwhile the enterprising University of Queensland students have organised the annual Audiology Graduate Employment Expo where employers are given the opportunity to set up a stand and talk about their workplace and the rewards of working with them. It was an opportunity to present, exhibit and get to know the 2015 graduates of the Masters of Audiology Studies program, held all day at the Indooroopilly Golf Club. This is a great introduction to the hearing services industry for all new students. On the social front, McCoy Harvey, from Oticon Australia, and his wife Alison celebrated the birth of beautiful baby Isaac Alan Timothy on 19 May. Isaac's two big sisters, Amelie (3 _ yrs) and Jasmine (2 yrs) absolutely adore their new baby brother (below left). Wesley and Sandi Ong of Fidelity Hearing Centre welcomed their little girl, Elisa on 30th April 2015 (below right) We all heard of the terrible earthquake in Nepal. Many thanks must go to Sue and Lew Tuck from Whitsunday Hearing and their efforts being channelled through the Himalayan Health & Hearing Program. The Earthquake Response has been an amazing and inspirational response for helping those in need. A report on the work of Himalayan Health & Hearing Program is included separately in this issue of Audiology Now, but the Queensland Chapter would like to share this picture of Lew Tuck delivering teddy bears to brighten the lives of new born babies at Dhulikhel Hospital (below). info@audiology.asn.au 45 Audiology Now 61

Dates To Remember - Winter 2015 8-11 October 2015 Asia Pacific Conference of Speech, Language and Hearing Biennial Conference Guangzhou, China Website: http://www.apsslh.org/ 9-10 October 2015 6th Annual Coalition for Global Hearing Health Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. Website: http://cghh.usu.edu/ 14-16 October 2015 EUHA : 60th International Conference of Hearing Aid Acousticians Nurnberg, Germany Website: http://www.euha.org/events/ 23-25 October 2015 Independent Audiologists Australia : Tinnitus, Misophonia and Hyperacusis Melbourne, Australia Website: http://www.aaapp.org.au/tinnitusmisophonia-hyperacusis/ 9-11 November 2015 11th National Allied Health Conference Melbourne, Australia Website: http://www.nahc.com.au/ 28-30 April 2016 15th International Meeting of the Mediteranian Society of Otology and Audiology Cappadocia, Turkey Website: http://www.msoa2016.org/ 22-25 May 2016 Audiology Australia National Conference Melbourne, Australia Website: www.audiology.asn.au 5-9 June 2016 29th Bárány Society Meeting, latest research and ideas in the field of vestibular systems Seoul, South Korea Website: http://www.baranysociety.nl/ 18-22 September 2016, 33rd World Congress of Audiology Vancouver, Canada Website: http://www.wca2016.ca/ 13-16 April 2016 AudiologyNOW 2016! American Academy of Audiology Phoenix, Arizona, USA www.audiology.org/conferences/audiologynow Audiology Australia AUDIOLOGY AUSTRALIA LTD. Suite 7, 476 Canterbury Road, Forest Hill, VIC. 3131 Tel: 03 9877 2727 Fax: 03 9877 0645 Email: info@audiology.asn.au AUDIOLOGY AUSTRALIA OFFICE: STATE CHAPTER DIRECTORS: AUDIOLOGY AUSTRALIA BOARD: Chief Executive Officer: Tony Coles Administration Manager: Jan McFarlane Administration Assistant (PT): Margaret McFarlane Communications Project Officer: Jenny Smith New South Wales - Australian Capital Territory Colleen Psarros Northern Territory: Amarjit Anand Queensland: John Pearcy South Australia: Holly Veale Victoria: Caitlin Grenness Western Australia: Eliza Pickard President: Vice President: Treasurer: Director At Large: Director At Large: Director At Large: Director At Large: Director At Large: Louise Hickson Helen Goulios Bob Cowan Marian Jones Jason Ridgway Kristan Abela Jacy Fellows Jenny Smith ETHICS COMMITTEE: If you wish to report a possible breach of our Code of Ethics contact ethics@audiology.asn.au. DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and may not be used in legal argument. The opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of Audiology Australia Ltd. AUDIOLOGY NOW is the magazine of Audiology Australia Ltd. It is published quarterly. Publication dates can be obtained by visiting www.audiology.asn.au/index.cfm/resources-publications/advertising/audiology-now/. The Audiology Australia Board is responsible for editorial content and reserves the right to edit or refuse material submitted for publication. ADVERTISING: A range of advertising options are available. The full range of options including material specifications can be viewed at www.audiology.asn.au/index.cfm/resources-publications/advertising/audiology-now/. All advertising and editorial enquiries can be directed to David Toomey by emailing to: audiology@dtoomey.com Audiology Now 61 46 www.audiology.asn.au

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