Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the 12th installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous iinstallments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Have You Heard?

• AAA 2021 Virtual offers two and a half days of educational content, networking, activities, gamification, and expo hall connections. Important dates to keep in mind:
  
  • Conference: April 14-16, 2021
  • Registration is now open
  • See what’s been scheduled including featured sessions and grand rounds.
• COVID-19 Vaccination Resources
  • USA Today posted an article discussing state-by-state vaccination plans. Find your state’s plan.
  • Stay on top of the latest news and tips with the Academy’s COVID-19 Updates as we continue to work through the pandemic together.
• At this point, we are well aware that our patients are continuing to struggle communicating in a masked world. We have seen a wide variety of mask styles including disposable surgical, homemade cloth, and clear plastic shields to list a few. Check out postdoctoral researcher Ryan Corey’s latest work evaluating how different masks affect the acoustics of speech.

Need to Know

March 3 is World Hearing Day. This year’s theme is, “Hearing care for ALL! Screen. Rehabilitate. Communicate.” Visit the Academy’s website for resources, sample social media posts and graphics, to spread the message.

Other News Bytes

Dive into the Academy’s career center, HEARCareers, a year-round resource for jobs in audiology, featuring: 

• National and international job postings
• Resume review services 
• Access to the latest compensation and benefits survey
• Career management tips and tricks 

Opportunities are right around the corner. Let the Academy’s HEARCareers employment listing be your guide.

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page. We release periodic articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.

That’s it! You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful. We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone January 2021 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the ninth installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Have Ya Heard?

• The Academy pivoted its annual conference to a virtual platform.  AAA 2021 Virtual offers two and a half days of educational content, networking, activities, gamification, and expo hall connections. Important dates to keep in mind:
  
  • Conference: April 14-16, 2021
  • Deadline for Abstract Submissions: November 16, 2020

The National Acoustics Laboratory (NAL) recently published hearing aid gain guidelines to help patients overcome the acoustic energy lost with wearing masks.

Need to Know

• Stay on top of the latest news and tips with the Academy’s COVID-19 Week in Review as we continue to work through the pandemic together.
• October is Audiology Awareness Month. How did you advocate for our profession? How do you plan to move our profession forward this year? Join the New Professionals in Audiology Group on Facebook and share your story and let others know how you are advocating.

New Professionals Spotlight

This is our continuing segment on highlighting new professionals and their career paths!  We’d like to introduce you to Skyler Barnes, AuD.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time?  Send us an e-mail with your suggestion.

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page. We release periodic articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond. If you have a topic you would like to see, let us know!

• Professional Networking Outside of Audiology
• Thinking About Thinking: Discussing Bias Within Audiology

That’s it! You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful. We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone October 2020 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the ninth installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Have Ya Heard?

• As our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemics effects and pathophysiology continues to evolve, more attention is starting to be paid to the multi-systems effect of the disease on the body. These effects go beyond the acute and permanent damage to the respiratory, immune, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems. Recent research has drawn a spotlight on the potential deleterious effects of the novel coronavirus on the hearing and balance organs.
  
  Though evidence is still preliminary, we as providers need to arm ourselves with this information and be ready for our patients. Check out some of the latest research articles below, and be sure to stay tuned to the Academy website for the latest COVID-19 news and resources.
   
  • Audiological profile of asymptomatic Covid-19 PCR-positive cases,by M.W.M Mustafa.
  • Does coronavirus affect the audio-vestibular system? A rapid systematic review, by Almufarrij, Uus, & Munro
  • Could sudden sensorineural hearing loss be the sole manifestation of COVID-19? An investigation into SARS-COV-2 in the etiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, by Kilic et al.
     
• Among the daily stressors that continue to be posed by this global pandemic, one population that is undoubtedly facing challenges is those with hearing loss. We see this firsthand at our clinics and during interactions with patients. Wearing masks, though increasingly important, is inconvenient, uncomfortable, and eliminates the ability to read facial expressions and lips. With research and the CDC news release emphasizing continued facemask usage to prevent COVID-19’s spread, and the growing list of statewide mandates, face coverings (and the inherent communication difficulties that come with them) are likely here to stay. The Academy, as well as other national hearing healthcare organizations, are committed to helping you be an assertive advocate for the health of you, your coworkers, and your patients.
  • Our Essential Role in Communication: Resources That Can Help
  • Managing Hearing Loss in the Time of COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Informational Dashboard
  • The challenges of facemasks for people with hearing loss

Need to Know

• The Academy recently upgraded the member dashboard. Login and update your profile to help consumers find you and your practice via the Find An Audiologist directory.
• September 13-19 is Balance Awareness Week! The Academy created focused social media graphics and infographics to spread awareness regarding hearing and balance issues.

New Professionals Spotlight

As highlighted in our previous Pulse Tone installment in April, we are currently pausing our New Professionals Spotlight to continue our efforts to keep you informed on the latest COVID-19 news.

Recently on July 13, 2020 the AAA New Professionals Committee held a Virtual Town Hall to discuss 

employment and resume building opportunities amidst COVID-19. Check out our Facebook Group, New Professionals in Audiology, and join in the conversation to stay on top of the latest tips to help get you through these unprecedented times and ask questions! Within our Facebook group, you can find:

1. Discussion topics posted to the Facebook page
2. A schedule to when video conference calls will be held and information on how to participate
3. Following conference calls, we will post a summary of the call and provide resources discussed

Here are some other topics currently being considered:

• How are other audiologists/facilities handling the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Telehealth – Establishing protocols and running appointments
• Ways to stay productive while seeing fewer patients
• Furlough and unemployment

This is an opportunity to engage with other new professionals! We hope to see you in the Facebook group and look forward to meeting you throughout the video conferencing discussions.

Redrawing our focus to the future, do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time?  Send us an e-mail with your suggestion. We look to continue our regular Spotlight segment soon!

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page. We release periodic articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.

• Professional Networking Outside of Audiology
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Thinking About Thinking: Discussing Bias Within Audiology
• Workplace Burnout

That’s it! You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful. We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone August 2020 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the ninth installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Wondering how to get involved in the Academy? Sign-in to the Audiology Community and under the “Volunteer” tab, select “Current Volunteer Opportunities” for a listing of all open opportunities. The Volunteer Reserve is currently open for applications. View the Academy’s volunteer FAQ page for more information.

Have Ya Heard?

• Over the last few weeks, many audiologists worldwide have had to close the physical doors of practices and transition to telehealth services. An article about Telehealth was published in the March/April 2020 issue of Audiology Today. While doctors Samantha Kleindienst Robler, AuD, PhD, John Kokesh, MD, Susan Emmett, MD, MPH, and Philip Hofstetter, AuD, primarily focused on implementing telehealth practices to overcome geographical barriers, it has now become a healthcare delivery method that every audiologist should consider moving forward.
  • Here are some resources for state-specific guidelines as well as general guidance:         
    • COVID-19 Telehealth Update and Guidance from the Academy
    • State and Local Covid-19 Response Information – Academy
    • Telepractice Policy – ASHA
  • The Academy is also offering a complimentary web seminar, “Supporting Patients at a Distance: Telehealth Now and in the Future” on May 1 at 3:00 PM ET. Register and attend the live web seminar on eAudiology and earn 0.1 CEUS/Tier 1.
• On April 2, the Academy submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting that they lift the physician order requirements for beneficiaries and to allow audiologists to provide services via telehealth. More information on legislative efforts by and for audiologists, is available under the Government Relations News section of the Academy website.

Need to Know

• Select sessions that were scheduled for AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo are now being offered on eAudiology at no cost such as Grand Rounds and Industry Solutions.
• Elections for the 2020 Academy Board are open until May 8. Check out the bios for President-Elect and Member-at-Large nominees posted on the Academy website and then cast your vote.

New Professionals Spotlight

Instead of introducing an individual new professional here, we will be taking to social media and video conferencing for this next segment. Check out our Facebook Group, New Professionals in Audiology, and join in the conversation. Here is our plan:

1. We will post weekly/biweekly topics on the Facebook page
2. A video conference call will be scheduled to discuss the chosen weekly topic
3. Following the conference call, we will post a summary of the discussion and provide any resources available

Here are some topics we plan to discuss:

• How are other audiologists/facilities handling the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Telehealth – Establishing protocols and running appointments
• Ways to stay productive while seeing fewer patients
• Furlough and unemployment

This is an opportunity to engage with other new professionals. We hope to see you in the Facebook group and look forward to meeting you throughout the video conferencing discussions.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time? Send us an e-mail with your suggestion!

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page. We release periodic articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.  

• Professional Networking Outside of Audiology
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Thinking About Thinking: Discussing Bias Within Audiology

That’s it!  You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful.  We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:  

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone April 2020 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the eighth installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Wondering how to get involved in the Academy? Sign-in to the Audiology Community and under the “Volunteer” tab, select “Current Volunteer Opportunities” for a listing of all open opportunities. The Volunteer Reserve is currently open for applications. View the Academy’s volunteer FAQ page for more information.

Have Ya Heard?

• On December 12, 2019, the House of Representatives passed the H.R. 3 bill. Within this bill is Section 602 entitled “Providing Coverage for Hearing Care Under the Medicare Program.” This bill not only adds new hearing aid benefits for Medicare patients, but would reclassify audiologists as practitioners under Medicare. This would improve access to hearing and balance care for our patients. For more information review pages 169-175 of H.R. 3.
   
• Vibroacoustic Disease? Dr. Billings, founder of the International Military and Civilian Stress Conference, recently wrote an article in The Hearing Journal talking about Vibroacoustic Disease (August 2019). As audiologists, we are advocates for hearing conservation and hearing loss prevention, but typically focus more on high-frequency stimulation. Learn more about vibroacoustic disease and the impact high-intensity/low-frequency (HI/LF) has on one’s overall health.
   
• The Academy recently released two new documents.
  • Clinical Consensus Document for Audiologic Services for Musicians and Industry Personnel
  • Revised Clinical Guidance Document on Assessment of Hearing in Infants and Young Children, which took into consideration the 2019 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) Position Statement.

Need to Know

• The New Professionals have their very own group on Facebook. Visit us and request to join!
   
• AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo online conference planner is available. Plan your schedule early and be on the lookout for additional communication from us regarding new professionals that are presenting as well as sessions that may be of particulate interest.
   
• The slate for the 2020 Academy Board has been released. Bios for the nominees for president-elect and members-at-large are posted on the Academy website. Elections of new board members will be held April 6–May 8, 2020.

New Professionals Spotlight

This is our continuing segment on highlighting new professionals and their career paths!  We’d like to introduce you to Eric Bostwick, AuD.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time? Send us an email with your suggestion!

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page.  We are releasing monthly articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.

• Workplace Burnout

That’s it!  You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful.  We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone February 2020 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the seventh installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here. We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee.  We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Wondering how to get involved in the Academy? Sign-in to the Audiology Community and under the “Volunteer” tab, select “Current Volunteer Opportunities” for a listing of all open opportunities. The Volunteer Reserve is currently open for applications. View the Academy’s volunteer FAQ page for more information.

Need to Know

• On July 25, 2019, AAA, ADA, and ASHA publicly announced a joint statement of support for the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019. Read the joint statement of support on the Academy’s website and learn more about H.R. 4056.
   
• On June 14, 2019, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) released survey data showing that audiology salaries are on the rise. According to the findings, there was an average 3% increase in base salary between 2016 and 2018, equating to a median salary of $80,000. This is reassuring news for recent graduates entering the profession as well as incoming graduate students wanting to invest in a doctorate of audiology degree. It is also important to know that 22% of the respondents reported having some unpaid student debt, with a median amount of $60,000.
   
• Good Morning America recently had a segment on insurance coverage for children’s hearing aids. The Academy provided background information for this news story. Currently, 25 states mandate insurance coverage for children, while 5 states have pending legislation.

Have You Heard?

• Planning for AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo has already begun! Be on the lookout for our New Professionals sessions in New Orleans and reach out with any topics you would like to see covered.
   
• The results of the 2019-2020 Academy Board of Directors elections were released last month. Congratulations to president-elect, Angela Shoup, PhD, and the members at large, Jamie Bogle, AuD, PhD, Lindsey Jorgensen, AuD, PhD, Steven G. Madix, PhD, and Devon Weist, AuD.

New Professionals Spotlight

This is our continuing segment on highlighting new professionals and their career paths!  We’d like to introduce you to Jacob Sommers, AuD.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time?  Send us an email with your suggestion!

Need to Know

• On July 25, 2019, AAA, ADA, and ASHA publicly announced a joint statement of support for the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019. Read the joint statement of support on the Academy’s website and learn more about H.R. 4056.
   
• On June 14, 2019, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) released survey data showing that audiology salaries are on the rise. According to the findings, there was an average 3% increase in base salary between 2016 and 2018, equating to a median salary of $80,000. This is reassuring news for recent graduates entering the profession as well as incoming graduate students wanting to invest in a doctorate of audiology degree. It is also important to know that 22% of the respondents reported having some unpaid student debt, with a median amount of $60,000.
   
• Good Morning America recently had a segment on insurance coverage for children’s hearing aids. The Academy provided background information for this news story. Currently, 25 states mandate insurance coverage for children, while 5 states have pending legislation.

Have You Heard?

• Planning for AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo has already begun! Be on the lookout for our New Professionals sessions in New Orleans and reach out with any topics you would like to see covered.
   
• The results of the 2019-2020 Academy Board of Directors elections were released last month. Congratulations to president-elect, Angela Shoup, PhD, and the members at large, Jamie Bogle, AuD, PhD, Lindsey Jorgensen, AuD, PhD, Steven G. Madix, PhD, and Devon Weist, AuD.

New Professionals Spotlight

This is our continuing segment on highlighting new professionals and their career paths!  We’d like to introduce you to Jacob Sommers, AuD.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time?  Send us an email with your suggestion!

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page.  We are releasing monthly articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Social Media Usage of Hearing Loss Patients

That’s it!  You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful.  We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone August 2019 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

About Us

Welcome back to the PulseTone! This is the sixth installment of the New Professional’s e-newsletter.  You can find the previous installments here.  We know you are busy and receive many emails so we promise to keep this short but informative.

Wait a second – who is ‘we’?

“We” is the New Professionals Committee. We’ve been around for a few years now, and are tasked with identifying and promoting the needs of New Professionals within the Academy.  Communication is a two-way street, and we want to improve our connections with all of our fellow NPs.

Wondering how to get involved in the Academy? Sign-in to the Audiology Community and under the “Volunteer” tab, select “Current Volunteer Opportunities” for a listing of all open opportunities. The main call for volunteers is happening soon – applications open Friday, March 15. Check it out or view the Academy’s volunteer FAQ page for more information.

Need to Know

It has been three months since our last issue and a lot has happened since then…

• On October 5, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted a news release allowing marketing of the “first self-fitting hearing aid, ” the BOSE Hearphones. These devices are the first FDA approved hearing aids designed for the user to fit, program, and control the hearing aid on their own. The current product is intended for adults 18 years of age and older with mild to moderate hearing impairment. Furthermore, the device must comply with federal and state laws regarding the sale of hearing aids. You might be asking yourself, can individuals  buy Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids now? Currently OTC devices do not exist because there are no criteria actually describing what an OTC device is. It may still be a couple more years before the new category is actually drafted. More information regarding Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Legislation and Regulatory Action is available on the Academy website.
   
• Beginning January of 2019, Maryland residents with Medicaid will have hearing aids covered under their insurance plan. Prior to this change, Maryland Medicaid solely covered hearing aids for children birth- age 21. Although patients require referral by their primary care physician, the legislation specifically identifies audiologists as the hearing healthcare provider. WTOP recently published an article about Maryland Medicaid.  

Have You Heard?

Will you be at AAA 2019, March 27-30, in Columbus?  The conference has a lot to offer for new professionals including our annual session, Speak Up, Speak Out, an event designed to allow new professionals to meet, discuss, and hear from experts regarding a specific topic – this year’s topic is retirement planning. Don’t miss this event on Thursday, March 28, 1:30 – 3:00 pm in the Hyatt!

New Professionals Spotlight

This is our continuing segment on highlighting new professionals and their career paths!  We’d like to introduce you to Jason Baker, AuD and Emily Jo Venskytis, AuD.

Do you have a new professional friend you would like to see us put in the spotlight next time?  Send us an email with your suggestion!

Other News Bytes

Check out our News Bytes section of the New Professionals web page.  We are releasing monthly articles about topics of interest to NPs and beyond.

• Cerumen Management
• CEU Breakdown: Tips and Tools to Track CEUs

That’s it!  You made it to the end of this newsletter and hopefully you learned something useful.  We would love to hear from you, please consider the following:

• Contact us
• Answer two questions for us, ask a question of us
• Visit the NP portion of the Academy website

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to reach out.

The post The Pulse Tone February 2019 appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.