Redefining the Way You Deliver Hearing Care with Unitron
AudiologyOnline: Today’s patients demand the best in hearing performance. They look for customized solutions and technology that give them independence and simplicity. How is Unitron redefining the future of hearing aids and the entire hearing care experience?
Shannon Basham, AuD: Our focus on experience has not changed. Unitron believes the world would be a better place if people felt really great about the entire hearing care experience. The experience we provide is life-enhancing and fully integrates sound performance technology with devices designed for life. We understand that better hearing goes beyond test results in a sound booth.
AudiologyOnline: How does Unitron redefine the patient experience to make it more personal?
Shannon Basham, AuD: Unitron challenges the conventional delivery of hearing care through what we call “experience innovations”. Understanding the consumer and realizing that patient loyalty is directly related to experiences, these innovations from Unitron help you to optimize and personalize the entire hearing care journey from the very first fit and beyond. They are designed to support you and your patients within two areas, performance tracking and continuous care. What does this mean for your patients?...Experience innovations benefit your patients by offering valuable perspectives about their needs, help them navigate alternatives, and allow them to avoid potential set-backs that could impact success.
AudiologyOnline: That really does offer a lot towards the patient experience. What features are currently available for providers and their patients with regards to performance tracking?
Shannon Basham, AuD: Unitron continues to expand feature offerings, and it all starts with FLEX:TRIAL. Most patients consider the decision to move forward with hearing care a major purchase decision. So, can you imagine purchasing say, a car, sight unseen? Your patient having to make a decision in the space of an hour or so, after they learned they have a hearing loss, are presented with several different hearing solutions, and then they are required to be a driver of the decision? How do they know for sure what is right for them? FLEX:TRIAL extends the hearing test with a real-world assessment that allows your patient to try the hearing instruments right away in places they live, work, and play. FLEX:TRIAL takes the pressure out of the appointment to help your patients feel more empowered in their decision-making.
Now a feature that is even more empowering, is Unitron’s unique Log It All. You are collecting real-world data to show a breakdown of your patients’ individual listening lifestyles. Not only does this allow you to make data-based recommendations about which technology level is best, but it can assist with troubleshooting and can help you build closer connections with your patients. Expanding upon connections, is Unitron’s ratings feature. This one rounds out the performance tracking trifecta! In today’s digital world, it is really important that you and your patients are able to connect and communicate with each other beyond your office. Through the Remote Plus app, it is incredibly easy for your patients to tell you their experiences with the hearing instruments in real-time. Your patients specify if they're satisfied or dissatisfied and in what environments along with any additional notes. Once a rating is submitted, not only do you gain insights from your patient, but you also get a snapshot of the hearing instrument’s performance in that moment.
AudiologyOnline: What innovations are available as continuous care for providers to offer beyond the purchase?
Shannon Basham, AuD: At Unitron, we realize the need to provide ongoing support so your patients gain the most from their hearing solution. At those initial fitting appointments, patients are bombarded with so much information. Depending on the patient, anxiety levels may be fairly high and there is so much to remember. Expecting patients to recall everything about maintenance, care, expectations, and goals is quite unrealistic. Because you cannot be with your patients 24/7 in the real-world, our coach feature was designed to step in and assist your patients with helpful reminders and instructions related to hearing aid management tasks. Coach is a personal assistant within your patient’s smartphone that helps keep them on track with their hearing goals and helps your patient remember how to get the most from their hearing instruments. What a stress reliever!
And admittedly, it’s hard to choose a favorite feature in such great technology, but if I had to, I must say the spotlight shines brightly on FLEX:UPGRADE. FLEX:UPGRADE is an industry-first and the only solution that allows hearing care professionals to install higher technology levels on the same hearing instruments after they have been purchased. This unique solution reassures your patients that you can always meet their needs should they change in the future. Watch the anxiety melt away. Take the pressure off for your patients. Let them know that they are not “locked-in” to a technology level. FLEX:UPGRADE allows you to take patients who are already enjoying Unitron technology and temporarily upgrade. That’s right, you can temporarily upgrade Unitron hearing instruments for up to 6 weeks within TrueFit fitting software. What a powerful tool for you to be able to offer patients a peek into different technology levels! It is truly a one of a kind life-enhancing experience for your patients reassuring them that you can always meet their needs. And if they love it…you can make it permanent.
Lastly, we all have experienced hurdles in the past year due to the global pandemic, leading to changes in how we view and deliver support for our patients. Unitron conveniently offers remote adjust for you and your patients. Remote adjust offers you the ability to make changes for your patients in TrueFit fitting software and remotely send the changes along with a personalized message through the Remote Plus app. Whether they are at home or on the move, you can service your patients’ needs at a time that is convenient for you both.
Unitron’s suite of experience innovations elevates the overall experience for you and your patients. You will differentiate yourself from the competition and your patients will truly love the journey.
Shannon Basham, AuD
Senior Director, Audiology and Education
Shannon has been in the field of audiology since receiving an AuD in 2003 from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. She practiced in private practice settings until she joined InSound Medical as a professional trainer in February 2008. She joined Sonova as the National Training Manager with the acquisition of InSound in July 2010. In her current role as the Senior Director of Audiology and Education, she is responsible for the design, content development, management, implementation, and education programs supporting Phonak and Unitron products, services and thought leadership.