Press Release Postshow AN17

NEWSRELEASEContact:

AudiologistsConnectinIndianapolisforAudiologyNOW!2017toInnovatefortheFuture

(Reston,VA–May02,2017)—AudiologistsfromaroundtheUnitedStatesandtheworldconvergedintheunofficial“CrossroadsofAmerica,”Indianapolis,Indiana,forAudiologyNOW!2017,theannualconferenceoftheAmericanAcademyofAudiology.

Inkeepingwiththisyear’sthemeof“Connect,ReconnectandInnovate,”thetraditionalThursdaymorningGeneralAssemblyopenedearlierthanusualandofferedcontinuingeducationcreditstoattendees.Thisyear’sGeneralAssemblyalsoaddressedchangesintheprofessionandthefutureofaudiology.Thisyear’skeynotepresentation,givenbyShellyChadha,MBBS,MS,PhD,fromtheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),ProgramforPreventionofDeafnessandHearingLoss,addressedmakinghearingcareaccessibletoall.Dr.ChadhafocusedonanunderstandingoftheWHOprogramforpreventionofdeafnessandhearingloss,aswellassharingthepublichealthaspectsofhearingcareandsparkinginterestamongattendeesinthemovementgloballyformakinghearingcareaccessibleforall.

Similarly,AcademyPresidentIanWindmill,PhD,addressedtheassemblyaboutseveral“hot-topic”itemsfacingaudiology,suchasthePCASTreportandtheFoodandDrugAdministration’s(FDA)reportonover-the-counter(OTC)devices,andtheneedforchangewithintheprofession.

“Thepast18monthshavebeennothingifnotinterestingforourprofession.Certainly,notinmyprofessionalcareerhasthesubjectofhearinglossbeensoevidentinsidetheBeltway,”Dr.Windmillsaid.

OnWednesday,theconferenceofficiallykickedoffwith230attendeesparticipatingintheninthannualAcademyResearchConference(ARC),whichfocusedonpediatrics,advancementsinassessments,andrehabilitation.Thisyear’sARCconference,chairedbyAnneMarieTharpe,PhD,broughttogetherexpertsinthefieldofpediatricaudiologytopresentinformationonhowdiagnosisandtreatmentofinfantsandchildrenwithhearinglosshassignificantlyimprovedoverthelastdecade,allduetotechnologicaladvancesandnewunderstandingofdevelopmentalandbiologicalmechanisms.Hottopicsinpediatricaudiologywerealsodiscussedduringtheconference.

AlsoonWednesday,LearningModulesandFeaturedSessionsbeganforAudiologyNOW!attendees.TheannualmembershipmeetingwasalsohostedbytheAcademyBoardofDirectors,whichgaveattendeesthechancetomeetandhearthecandidatesforpresident-electandmembersoftheboardpresenttheirvisionsfortheAcademy.AfterwardtheboardtookquestionsfrommembershipduringtheAcademyTeamHuddle.Anewevent,theFirst-TimeAttendeeOrientation,sawapackedroomofattendeesgetinformationonhowtomakethemostoftheirtimeatAudiologyNOW!AnothereventonWednesdayafternoon,theIndustrySymposium,sponsoredinpartbyReSound,drewafullroomtohearthefutureofsmarthearingdiscussed.

Theopening-dayreception,CelebrateAudiology(sponsoredinpartbyHamiltonCapTel),closedoutWednesday’sfestivitiesandkickedofftheopeningoftheexhibithall,whereparticipantsenjoyedfood,drink,andentertainment,whilemeetingwithexhibitorsandreconnectingwithcolleagues.Inaddition,severalopenhouseswereheldthatevening,with

10universitieshostinggatheringsforstudents,faculty,staff,andalumni.Nearly180exhibitorshighlightedthelatestresearchandtechnology,newproducts,andservicesinhearinghealthcareintheexhibithall,aswellasinquicksolutions

andindustryupdateeducationalsessions.

AudiologystudentshavebecomeagrowingnumberofthosewhoparticipateinAudiologyNOW!Thisyear’sconferencewasnodifferent,withnearly800studentsattending.TheytookpartintheStudentAcademyofAudiology’s(SAA)MixandMingle(sponsoredinpartbyAudigyGroup)andtheSAACheersforEars(sponsored

inpartbyOticon,Inc.,Phonak,LLC,andStarkeyHearingTechnologies)onWednesdayevening,aswellasstudent-specificworkshopsandvariouseventsattheSAACentralboothduringthefourdaysofAudiologyNOW!ThefifthannualSAAConferencedrewarecordnumberofattendees.

TheAAAFoundationpresentedthreedistinguishedlecturesduringAudiologyNOW!OnWednesdayafternoon,BarbaraBalik,EdD,principalofCommonFireHealthcareConsulting,presentedtheFoundation’sImprovingPatientCarethroughInnovationinWorkplaceManagementLecture(sponsoredinpartbyPhonak,LLC).Dr.Balik’slecture,

entitled“InnovationinHearingandBalanceCare:APathwaytoTransformingOutcomes,”tappedintothecreativityandtalentthataudiologistspossesstopromptdramaticsystemleadershipthroughinnovativepartnershipswithpatients,families,communitymembersandotherhealth-careprofessionals.

OnFriday,theFoundationpresentedtwomorelectures:

TheMarionDownsLectureinPediatricAudiology(sponsoredinpartbyTheOticonFoundation)waspresentedbyDr.AnuSharma,PhD,professorandchairintheDepartmentofSpeechLanguageandHearingandaFellowattheInstituteforCognitiveScienceandCenterforNeuroscienceattheUniversityofColoradoatBoulder.Dr.Sharma’saddress,“BrainChangesinHearingLoss,”lookedatbrainplasticityandhowitprovidesaframeworkuponwhichrehabilitationandtherapyinitiativesfortheclinicalpopulationsneedinghearingaidsorcochlearimplantsshouldbebased.

TheTopicsinTinnituslectureseries(sponsoredinpartbyWidex)featuredanaddressbyDr.JamesHenry,anaudiologistattheNationalCenterforRehabilitativeAuditoryResearch,titled“Evidence-BasedTinnitusManagement—InchingTowardaStandardofPractice.”

Theselecturesarenowavailableon-demand,atnocost,on

DuringthePresident’sreception(sponsoredinpartbyStarkeyHearingTechnologies)onFridayafternoon,Dr.WindmillpresentedtheAcademyPresidentialAwardstoOaktreeProducts,theIdaInstitute,andSAAPresidentJoshuaHuppert.

Inadditiontotheeducationalsessions,lectures,andnewproductsandtechnology,AudiologyNOW!gaveattendeesseveralfuneventstoparticipateinduringthefourdaysoftheconvention.Specialeventsrangedfroma5KRun/WalkonThursdaymorning(sponsoredinpartbyOticon,Inc.),dine-aroundsatarearestaurants,Sunrise-YogaonFridaymorning,andapicnicandbaseballgameatVictoryField,givingattendeesachancetoenjoythecompanyofandcatchupwiththeircolleagues.

BuildingupontheexperienceandinnovationoftheconventioninIndianapolis,workhasbegunonplanningAudiologyNOW!2018,tobeheldinNashville,Tennessee,onApril18–21,2018.VisittheAudiologyNOW!website(

-###-

Withanactivemembershipofmorethan12,000audiologists,theAmericanAcademyofAudiologypromotesqualityhearingandbalancecarebyadvancingtheprofessionofaudiologythroughleadership,advocacy,education,publicawareness,andsupportofresearch.Tolearnmoreabouttheaudiologyprofessionandhowaudiologistsarehelpingthe

36millionAmericanswhoexperiencehearingloss,pleasevisittheAcademy'sWebsiteat