Unlocking more time for your patients with Phonak EasyGuard
AudiologyOnline: In today’s busy clinic (as well as in life in general), there never seems to be enough time. I’m interested to hear how Phonak is making life easier in this regard.
Erika Porter, AuD: “So much to do, so little time,” is definitely a common refrain for both us as providers as well as our patients. Phonak recently introduced additional solutions to help both groups. One of my favorites right now is Phonak EasyGuard™.
AudiologyOnline: That’s your new dome, right?
Erika Porter, AuD: Correct! EasyGuard domes utilize a sealed, sound-transmitting membrane to keep wax out of the receiver and wax filter while allowing the sound through. We know that about one-third of our patients struggle to change wax filters — you can probably think of a patient right now who fits that description. Now imagine their confidence boost and increased sense of autonomy when they can maintain the function of their aids by simply wiping off the EasyGuard dome. And time! How many patients do you have who come in monthly for a filter change? What could they do with their extra time when coming quarterly instead? How many more patients could you see in those now-open appointment times?
AudiologyOnline: What are you hearing from those in the clinic about EasyGuard?
Erika Porter, AuD: The response has been extremely positive. During our validation testing, patients wore the EasyGuard domes for four months, and 89% of participants indicated they preferred the EasyGuard domes over their own traditional domes (or had no preference)1. And in a survey of providers supporting over 250 patients, 100% agreed that providing their patients with EasyGuard made it easier for patients to care for their hearing aids (specifically from the wax perspective) and reduced the need for repairs or servicing due to wax.2 Bringing it down to individual experiences, one provider recently shared that they had a patient with drainage issues who usually needed to have receivers changed about every month. Since they switched to EasyGuard, they haven’t had to change receivers at all!
AudiologyOnline: Now you’re starting to get me excited. Who is eligible to use EasyGuard domes?
Erika Porter, AuD: The simple answer is almost anyone who currently wears domes on their Phonak hearing aids. Last fall, we introduced EasyGuard Vented, and we rounded out the portfolio this spring with EasyGuard Open and EasyGuard Power. In addition to small, medium, and large sizes, the new EasyGuard Power domes include two new sizes (small-medium and medium-large), allowing for even more precise fits for a good seal. EasyGuard domes are compatible with Infinio Ultra, Lumity, Paradise, and Marvel hearing aids.
AudiologyOnline: Any other time savings to be found?
Erika Porter, AuD: Absolutely! Let’s stay on the topic of continued patient care. Did you know that 30-40% of hearing aids received by Phonak for service could have been diagnosed and serviced at the clinic?3 We identified the opportunity to provide professionals with an efficient tool to diagnose the status of patients’ hearing aids to more confidently guide repairs — and created the PhonakPro Check app to meet that need.
AudiologyOnline: That sounds extremely useful. How does it work?
Erika Porter, AuD: PhonakPro Check is Android and iOS compatible and minimizes unnecessary repairs, reducing turnaround times by allowing providers and office personnel to run diagnostics and troubleshoot on the spot. Depending on the hearing aid model, the app will run an acoustic, battery, and/or circuit check. One nice thing is that the app will not only indicate if something requires attention or has failed, but it will also give suggestions for troubleshooting, which is extremely useful for less-experienced team members. If the trouble is something that needs to be sent in for repair, providers can initiate a repair order right within the app.
AudiologyOnline: I can see how that would be useful to both patient and provider.
Erika Porter, AuD: Yes, this is a win-win-win. Patients receive a clear understanding of problems and spend less time without their hearing aids. Providers and front office teams can optimize workflows and target troubleshooting, so less time is spent on repairs and drop-ins. And practices have the opportunity to differentiate their service while enjoying less disruption.
AudiologyOnline: Any last words as we wrap up?
Erika Porter, AuD: Today, we’ve discussed two new and exciting ways to save time for patients and providers, but there are more. From streamlining the fitting process with a softer, faster feedback test and binaural firmware updates, to upskilling staff and optimizing scheduling with our Practice Forward courses, Phonak stays focused on improving the provider and patient experience.
References:
- Sanchez, C. et Adler, M (2025) EasyGuard domes were preferred over traditional domes after a 4-month home trial with this new patented technology. Phonak Field Study News. Retrieved from https://www.phonak.com/evidence.
- Based on Phonak internal data. Contact [email protected] if you are interested in more information.
- According to internal reliability data.
Erika Porter, AuD
Erika Porter, AuD, is dedicated to building practical confidence. She earned her MS from Arizona State University and AuD from A.T. Still University. After 16 years as a dispensing audiologist in private practice, Erika joined the clinical training team at Phonak. She now fills the role of Senior Audiology Development Manager. She loves seeing the “aha” moments when providers discover ways they can improve their patients’ quality of life.