Back for more! Week two & three of the special series on Cochlear Implants. This week we hear all about Candidacy with Terry Zwolan, PhD, Melissa Hall, AuD, Craig Buchman, MD, Ted McRackan, MD, Paul Shea, MD and Matt Bush, MD.

Check out today’s newest episodes!

Episode 7: Terry Zwolan, PhD | Cochlear Implants Series, Finding the Easy Button | If you were looking at a timeline of impactful events in cochlear implant history, you’d find Dr. Terry Zwolan’s name listed on a lot of them. This episode touches on one of her latest, the 60/60 – which is a simple way to know if the patient in front of you should be considered for CI. She talks candidacy, new codes and everything in between.

Episode 8: Melissa Hall, AuD, SLP | This episode focuses on the kiddos, and the village of providers, specialists, family and friends that are needed to not only help them find success, but that work hard to ensure that these children are thriving.  From identifying this population, to understanding the red flags, to asking more specific questions, Dr. Hall covers a lot of ground.  Listen up and get caught up with what is happening in pediatrics and cochlear implants.

Episode 9: Craig Buchman, MD | Cochlear Implant Series, Candidacy, Outcomes & Oddball Cases | This episode digs into cochlear implant candidacy and loops listeners into some of the most up-to-date changes that were announced by CMS. Dr. Buchman shares his perspective on where the specialty is going, outcomes, why they are focusing on hearing preservation, and even reveals some less thought about indications that maybe should trigger a referral for a CI assessment.

Episode 10: Ted McRackan, MD | Cochlear Implant Series, Real-Life Outcomes & Quality of Life | What picture do you have framed on your desk to help remind you not to make assumptions about patients?  Listen as Dr. Ted McRackan talks real-life outcomes of patients with CI, and dives headfirst into the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life Profile (CIQOL) framework. He relays challenges in connecting test results with a patient’s perceived real-world function, and shares insight into how providers can use this type of data during discussions of expectations with potential CI users and throughout a CI patient’s care. 

Episode 11: Paul Shea, MD | Cochlear Implants Series, When a patient is 90 years young. Should we consider an implant? A surgeon’s perspective | This episode provides insight into the candidacy decision and conversations that happened before KK’s mom had her cochlear implant surgery at age 90 years young.  Dr. Shea also talks neurotology, cochlear implants and private practice; and the collaboration needed to facilitate the best care for prospective cochlear implant candidates.  

Episode 12: Matt Bush, MD | Cochlear Implant Series, Available but not accessible, talking health disparity, access, and fixing problems together.  In this episode, Dr. Matt Bush talks about approaching the hard issues of delivering care in low resource communities and developing trust. Find out what’s being done, and the collaborative approach needed to continue to open the door to access.

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This episode is sponsored by Envoy Medical.

Ever wish there was a fast way to get up to speed on a complicated topic? Well, you’re in luck. This series might just be for you. As providers, it’s hard to stay on top of all the specialties in a multi-specialty world. So join us for the month of October and get back in the loop about everything that’s happening in cochlear implants from the fundamentals, candidacy, patient characteristics and the latest in tech – and you’re going to hear it from the best of the best.

This series drops in groups of episodes each week, served up in a sprint, through the month of October ending the week of November 7th. The goal is to help busy providers stay at the top of their game, by delivering the what’s happening, how we got here and where we’re going, in short episodes that are casual and easy to listen to. You can’t help but be just a little smarter by spending 20 minutes with one of these special guests. Who should be listening? Any provider who sits in front of a patient that may have hearing loss. Some episodes are narrow and detailed, focused on the otolaryngology & audiology of it all, but most are bigger picture and meant to bring in all the providers that are part of the patient’s journey to better hearing. If you practice along that continuum, than enjoy the catch-up by these impressive experts – if you know them, well, you know that you should listen up and if you don’t know these folks – then you’re in for real treat.

We open the series with the Fundamentals, basically a little overview and a little history; kicked off by Brent Lucas, CEO of Envoy Medical, followed up by my co-host, Camille Dunn, PhD. Then we meet Donna Sorkin, Jolie Fainberg, AuD, Aniket Saoji PhD and KK Gross. Next up, Candidacy with Terry Zwolan, PhD, Melissa Hall, AuD, Craig Buchman, MD, Ted McRackan, MD, Paul Shea, MD and Matt Bush, MD. Then we dive into Patient Characteristics with special guests Bruce Gantz, MD, William Shapiro, AuD, Jill Firzt, PhD, Rene Gifford, PhD, Sarah Sidlowski, AuD, PhD, and then rounding out the series with Tech and What’s Next featuring Lisa Aubert, MS, Ray Gamble, Victoria Carr-Brendel, PhD and Brent Lucas, JD. And keep your ears open for a few surprises along the way!

Check out today’s newest episodes below and be watching for the next group of episodes, dropping next week!

Episode 1: Cochlear Implants: Special Series | Introduction with Brent Lucas | Join us for the month of October for this special series on all the things that are happening in Cochlear Implants. Hear from the experts as they break down what is happening with CI in 2022. And if you’re wondering why the CEO of Envoy Medical is opening the series? Well, let’s find out!

Episode 2: Meet my Co-host, Camille Dunn, PhD | We wouldn’t be doing a CI podcast without her!  Meet Camille Dunn, PhD, CI expert audiologist, industry leader and genuinely kind and funny person that I’m lucky to call a friend.  I’m so glad she raised her hand and offered to co-host this much needed series on everything that is happening with Cochlear Implants.  I used to think that CI was for a small group of patients and that there was only a small group of providers that delivered the care – not any more.  CI in 2022 is breaking all the rules for the better of everyone – get in the loop quick with the short series podcast covering the fundamentals, candidacy, characteristics and tech – all with the best of the best.  

Episode 3: From patient to advocate, Donna Sorkin shares her extraordinary journey | Meet Donna Sorkin, the Executive Director of ACI Alliance.  She’s had quite a journey.  She gives credit to her audiologist that went above and beyond, in a time when recommending CI may not had been the norm.  That experience inspired her to become a champion of others and was the beginning of a new career of advocacy. Check out the ACI Alliance Provider Resources Here  

Episode 4: Walking the walk with Jolie Fainberg, AuD | Did you ever want to meet someone that has worked with all of the cochlear implant models that have ever been released in the US?  Well, now you have. Dr. Jolie Fainberg has quite the perspective on how the field has changed over the years.  Don’t miss out on the insight.

Episode 5: The Inventor Among Us, with Aniket Saoji, PhD | Do you remember what it felt like when you got the call that your patent was accepted?  me neither.  But this guy… he could tell a story.  Meet Dr. Aniket Saoji. He is an audiologist that understands the clinical and industry perspective, as he’s worked for the manufactures, he holds more patents than I can count on all my fingers and toes, and he sits at the helm of the audiology department at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN.  

Episode 6: When Your Parent is the Patient. A Caregiver Perspective with KK Gross. In this episode, KK shares her experience with cochlear implants from the caregiver perspective.  Her mom, who had a sudden hearing loss in one ear over 30 years ago, decided she wanted a cochlear implant, at the young age of 90.  This short episode is an overview of that story.  

Stay up to date with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MedAudPro.

Joining the MedAudPro Provider Community is a great way to support our show, get free access to behind the password content and interact with other providers looking to practice at the top of their game.  Subscribe today

This CI special series is sponsored by Envoy Medical.