EUHA 2013: Complete report and video-tour of the stands

It is autumn, time for the International Congress of Hearing Aid Acousticians EUHA to take place in Germany. The 58th edition was organized from 16 to 18 October at the Nürnberg Congress Center (NCC).

"Any skill requires diligence, effort and hard work before one has grasped and learnt it." EUHA president Martin Blecker appropriately quotes Nuremberg’s famous son Albrecht Dürer in his foreword to the booklet for the EUHA’s 58th International Congress of Hearing Aid Acousticians. For whom would this remark be more fitting than for hearing aid acousticians? Blecker proceeds: “At the congress, we will work on ourselves. Together we will advance new findings, connect information, draw new conclusions. This is how the provision of hearing aids is promoted – for our customers’ benefit.” The congress and trade show offers a great opportunity to meet relations and new people in a concentration of space and time, to share insights, see product innovations and attend lectures by recognized specialists.

Red tape and satisfied customers

Changes in health insurance and reimbursement systems were the talk of the town at EUHA. Norway, Switzerland and Holland had their system changed and now it’s Germany’s turn. Other countries also expect changes in the near future. One can have innovative technologies, one can be proud of one’s dedication, knowledge and craftmanship, but red tape and regulations are always around the corner to spoil things. Luckily, there is still another factor on the happy side of the equation: satisfied customers. “Many of us greatly enjoy achieving better and better results, facilitating better hearing”, Blecker concludes. Let’s cherish this joy!

Complex fitting

This being said, it can still be hard work. Innovations to hearing aids and accessories don’t necessarily make the life of hearing aid acousticians easier. Hans Peter Bursig, managing director of the German Association of the Hearing Instruments Industry: “Innovative technologies are providing better and better solutions to improve speech intelligibility, even in difficult situations. The integration of accessories that are important in the users’ day to day life is also becoming more and more easy. (..) As a result, the fitting process is becoming ever more complex. (..) Hearing aid acousticians need to have skills and knowledge in order to fit complex new solutions to the customer’s individual needs. The EUHA congress has an important role to play in order to disseminate innovation.”

But what is the reward for the skills and knowledge needed for complex fitting? Bursig: “Research and development by industry need to be funded, just like the time and effort that hearing aid acousticians spend on the complex process of fitting innovative hearing aids. German health insurance companies expect all these aspects to be provided for all insurance holders without private co-payments. This cannot be done.”

The tour of the stands

audifon

The German company shows two new families of hearing aids at EUHA, the Libra and the Miro. But maybe even a bigger innovation is the new software platform designed for the fitting of those two new families and also the existing ones, like the Vico family of hearing aids. Product Manager Frederik Eichhorn: “We offer a complete portfolio of hearing aids, from BTE’s to RITE’s. Our whole portfolio benefits from the new fitting software audifit 5. It was tested by hearing care professionals from KIND Hearing, market leader in hearing aid despensing in Germany. It offers new design and new workflow. And most importantly: it is very intuitive and easy to work with.”

Integrated in audifit 5 is the feature demonstration tool MySound!, which offers a quick and easy access to sound simulation in the fitting studio, supported by a second screen and five speakers. Eichhorn: “Hearing aids get more and more features, which in the end complicate the fitting process. Against this background, audifit 5 enables the acoustician to realize a faster fitting process together with the customer.”

Audio Service

Audio Service introduces three new BTE models. They all include the G2 state-of-the-art technology. The small housed XS 312 battery hearing instrument is meant for mild to moderate hearing loss. The DUO and P are using the 13 battery and feature programmable operationals. The DUO 6 G2 rocker switch can be used for volume control, programme change or sound balance. In a binaural fitting one hearing aid can be used for instance for volume control and the other for programme change performing at both ears using the wireless functionality. “We are also proud to present the 12th generation of our semimodular ITEs”, says R&D manager Ing. Michael Bulk. “In our Ida, we have placed two microphones into the all-in-one module to offer excellent directionality and spatial orientation. An integrated rocker switch offers a new dimension of user comfort. Ideally combined with wireless technology.”

Service’s head of Marketing Almut Niederfeld: “Audio Services’ main focus is the German market. The new reimbursement regulations in Germany will mean some changes in the market. We think that in-the-ear products will meet increased interest thanks to their cosmetic advantages. Also the export sales is of importance to Audio Service. In particular export customers need a full range of products and support. Audio Service as partner of choice can fulfill this task.

Interview with Thomas Mettang, CEO at Audio Service