Phonak Opens North American Audiological Center of Excellence

Stäfa, Switzerland and WARRENVILLE, IL, April 18, 2018 – Phonak, the leading global provider of hearing instruments and wireless communication solutions, today announces a new audiological center of excellence fueled by the Phonak Audiology Research Center (PARC) in Warrenville, Illinois. The center will be led by newly appointed U.S. Vice President of Audiology Christine Jones, AuD and will serve as the North American hub for independent research as well as ongoing collaborations with a network of top audiology experts and institutions around the globe.

Christine Jones will continue to serve as PARC Director and will oversee Phonak’s team of audiologists across a wide range of topics including: Family-Centered Care (FCC), eAudiology, Hearing & Emotions, Pediatric Audiology and Unilateral Hearing Loss (UHL). Phonak’s commitment to advancing audiological research will be evident at the American Academy of Audiology’s annual AAA 2018 conference, where the company will lead 24 presentations. ”

“Audiology is at the core of Phonak’s identity and is infused throughout all functions in our organization,” said Christine. “The research we conduct in our new audiological center of excellence places the customer at the center of our entire audiology program, and drives our constant exploration for achieving a greater understanding of hearing loss and how those discoveries can help hearing care professionals and their patients.”

While Phonak’s legacy of innovation began with the company’s founding more than 70 years ago, its modern-day commitment to the field of audiology began when Ora Buerkli was hired as the company’s first audiologist 34 years ago. Today she serves as Vice President Global Audiology and oversees global audiology strategy and thought leadership.

The American Academy of Audiology will honor Ora’s contribution to the field of audiology with the Samuel F. Lybarger Industry Award. Lybarger was a pioneer and engineer in the industry of audiology, and is regarded by some as the Grandfather of the Modern Hearing Aid. Ora will receive the award at the AAA 2018 conference Honors and Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m.

“Looking back at my three decades with Phonak, I am most proud of the fact that evidence-based audiology has become a top priority throughout the company,” stated Ora. “Our audiologists work in virtually every department, and have a voice in everything from research and development to product management and sales. The needs of hearing care professionals and people with hearing loss are always top-of-mind, and that has positioned Phonak as the leader in audiological research and innovation.”

Phonak’s audiological expertise on display at AAA 2018

In addition to demonstrating several innovative products and technologies at AAA 2018 (Booth #1113), Phonak will be leading a total of 24 presentations for CEU credits, including:
• 14 Industry Updates
• 5 exhibitor courses
• 3 Learning Modules
• 1 Research Podium
• 1 Mini Module
 

[1] Lisa Schlein, VOA “WHO: Nearly 1 Billion People Risk Hearing Loss by 2050,” March 3, 2018 - https://www.voanews.com/a/world-health-organization-hearing-loss/4278903.html

[2] Single sided deafness, also known as SSD, is typically caused by viral infections, Meniere's disease, head or ear injuries, or through surgical intervention to remove brain tumors.  https://www.hear-it.org/single-sided-deafness

[3] Abrams_HB,_Kihm_J._An_Introduction_to_MarkeTrak_IX:
_A_New_Baseline_for_the_Hearing_Aid_Market._Hearing_Review._2015;22(6):
16._Published_on_May_15,_2015_ 
https://www.hearingreview.com/2015/05/introduction-marketrak-ix-new-baseline-hearing-aid-market