Summary: The 2024 audiologist survey seeks to gather feedback on key hearing healthcare issues, aiming to improve industry practices and address challenges such as hearing loss stigma, tinnitus, and earwax removal regulations.
Takeaways:
- Focus on Key Issues: The 2024 survey aims to address major concerns in the hearing healthcare industry, including tinnitus, hearing loss stigma, and NHS waiting times.
- Increased Engagement: BIHIMA’s 2023 survey saw a 100% rise in responses, highlighting critical feedback from audiologists on patient behavior and industry improvements.
- Need for Change: Respondents call for stricter regulations on earwax removal and modernizing the marketing of hearing instruments to reduce stigma and reflect current technology.
The British and Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (BIHIMA) launched its 2024 survey of audiologists in the United Kingdom, gathering the feedback, concerns, and ideas of those at the frontline of hearing healthcare.
Aiming to Improve Hearing Healthcare
Developing on BIHIMA’s 2023 survey for hearing care professionals, the intention of this year’s questions is to pinpoint industry issues and kick start conversations around opportunities for improvement.
“The audiologist survey is a crucial part of the BIHIMA calendar – we run it every year to get feedback on the profession and what the hot topics are for the industry right now, so we can focus on the issues that matter most to patients and professionals alike,” says Paul Surridge, chairman of BIHIMA. “This year, we have expanded our questions to include content focused around important areas such as primary care provision, tinnitus, the debated links between dementia and hearing loss and which organisations could help to tackle the stigma around hearing loss.”
Revelations in Hearing Healthcare
Alongside the launch of the 2024 survey is BIHIMA’s report on the 2023 survey results, which received a 100% increase in respondents from the previous year. The survey is specifically designed to include many open-ended questions to gather as much detailed feedback as possible from the respondents, so the report features key statistics as well as a broad selection of key quotes from audiologists to represent the themes of the feedback received. These include thoughts on why patients delay visiting their audiologist, what groups are most proactive in seeking support, the repercussions of NHS waiting times, what people’s priorities are when choosing a hearing instrument, and how the industry could be improved.
“Our 2023 survey produced some fascinating answers about patients and their motivation for visiting their audiologist. We were particularly happy to see an increase in younger people booking a hearing appointment. While, proportionally, those in the 70+ age bracket may be more likely to experience hearing loss, it’s an issue that impacts people at all stages of life.” says Surridge. “Our previous survey responses reinforce the widely acknowledged view that marketing around hearing instruments dated and in need of a makeover. Often, we see images depicting bulky, unattractive hearing instruments rather than the modern, sleek technology which is now available. Thankfully, we have seen some changes in recent months, with organisations like hearing instrument manufacturer GN Group launching its ‘The New Norm’ image campaign.
Focus on Earwax Removal
Another popular topic from the 2023 Audiologist Report was around earwax removal, and the lack of legislation around those who can and cannot perform the treatment, with many respondents stating that the biggest challenge facing the hearing industry.
When asked what could be done to improve the industry, one respondent stated, “Strict regulations governing wax removal and hearing assessment so that private companies cannot train non-medical staff to perform these procedures after very limited training and no supervision afterwards.”
The report concludes by asking audiologists what provisions they believe could be made to modernize hearing instruments.
Addressing Stigma
The survey showed an overwhelming consensus that there is still a stigma attached to wearing hearing instruments. When respondents were asked what could be done to challenge this, the answers ranged from more collaborations between NHS and private companies, to increased incentives, more media buy-in and technology that sat closer to a fashion statement than a medical device.
“It’s invaluable to hear feedback from those supporting people with hearing loss every single day,” says Surridge. “I’m looking forward to the results from this year’s survey and increasing our responses from the public sector so we can ensure we are representative of the hearing industry as a whole.”
Further reading: BIHIMA: Hearing Aid Usage Up in UK and Ireland in 2023
Photo: Dreamstime
