By Patricia Gaffney
This article is a part of the November/December 2024, Volume 36, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.
When I was growing up, my mom would often pack my brother and me into the car. Whenever the drive seemed long, we would inevitably ask, “Where are we going?” Her response was almost always the same, “We are going on an adventure.” While this usually meant she was lost, for her, it was about enjoying the journey.
President | American Academy of Audiology
As of October 1, 2024, I am in the driver’s seat for this segment of the American Academy of Audiology’s journey. My responsibility is to guide us forward, keeping us on the right path and moving efficiently. The Academy has been shaped by a lineage of remarkable leaders, each leaving a lasting mark. Now, I have the honor of steering us through this moment in time.
When we envision the future of audiology, there are a few shared aspirations. One is fair compensation for the full scope of services we provide in caring for our patients. At present, many of the services we offer—such as counseling and management—go uncompensated in our current health-care models. We must push for payment for all aspects of our work. Equally important is recognition of our expertise in diagnosing, managing, and treating patients. For too long, Medicare has confined us to providing only diagnostic services. Legislative efforts to reclassify our role are crucial to advancing our profession. The Academy continues to work tirelessly on advocacy while also seeking new ways to educate members on practice management strategies that can improve compensation.
We must also practice at the top of our scope, consistently delivering high-quality care to maintain the trust of our patients and colleagues. Evidence-based practice and adherence to best practice guidelines are fundamental for us as doctoral-level professionals. The elevation of audiology in health care hinges on demonstrating measurable improvements in hearing and vestibular outcomes by following these best practices. The Academy is modernizing its guidelines, and the journal editor-in-chief is bringing fresh ideas to the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology to further enhance research accessibility for our members.
Finally, as we continue along our audiology journey, we must remain resilient in the face of disruptions. Whether societal, technological, or economic, challenges will arise. However, rather than reacting to these “bumps in the road,” we need to anticipate and address them proactively. With the right mindset and tools, we can navigate around obstacles instead of hitting them and cursing the result. My message to the Board of Directors this year is we need to be proactively maneuvering ahead to meet the needs of our membership.
There may not be a GPS that tells us the exact route and arrival time to reach our destination, but as my mom would say, this is the adventure. Together, we will navigate forward, respond to the unexpected with agility, and keep our focus on the needs of audiologists and the patients we serve. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has entrusted me to lead this organization for the 2024–2025 term. Rest assured, I will not be asleep at the wheel—and if you know me, there will be plenty of coffee involved along the way.
I would like to dedicate my first President’s Message to my mom. She would have been incredibly proud to see me reach this milestone.
