Widex USA Inc announced My Guide – a new feature in the WIDEX MOMENT mobile app that helps “empower hearing aid users to maximize the comfort, performance, and utility of their hearing aid devices after the initial fitting.”
With up to 20% of new hearing aid users reporting difficulties and frustration in becoming familiar with their devices,[1] the My Guide tool delivers “education and guidance to ensure every hearing care professional and their patients experience the best possible results.”
“Using a hearing aid for the first time or adjusting to a new device can take time and dedication, because wearers have to form a new habit,” said Dana Helmink, AuD, Sr. Manager, Clinical Product Specialist at Widex USA. “We developed the My Guide mobile tool to make the initial adoption period as painless and positive as possible. My Guide offers wearers videos and written instructions for proper usage, storage, maintenance, and more, helping them to overcome problems remotely.”
Hearing care professionals are encouraged to promote the My Guide tool throughout the patient journey as a resource that “simplifies device use and provides all the information they need, which can help relieve stress among patients.”
For hearing care professionals, My Guide can help save time by empowering patients to fully resolve certain issues on their own, according to Widex. For wearers, the tool helps “reduce the need for clinic visits, improves confidence and overall hearing aid experience, and provides peace of mind that any necessary information is available at the touch of a button.”
The main features of My Guide provide comprehensive lessons about storage, comfort, charging, care and maintenance, troubleshooting advice, and a ‘reminder’ function to encourage daily hearing aid use.
The My Guide Videos tab contains brief videos simple enough for any user to understand, with topics including turning the hearing aid on or off, changing batteries, adjusting volume, changing the wax guard, and more.
The Troubleshooting tab addresses common issues such as no sound coming from the hearing aid and physical discomfort due to improper placement, allowing users to solve problems themselves.
The Courses tab is designed to help users set expectations, engage in their hearing loss, and learn how to maximize the benefit of their hearing aids. With 24 articles in four categories, these courses cover everything from how to protect hearing aids while exercising to tips for conversation and getting used to new sounds.
The fourth tab, Notifications, plays a critical role in helping new patients become more familiar and comfortable with daily hearing aid usage. By providing daily reminders that can be set at custom times, the app actively helps patients remember to put their hearing aids in, with the goal of making the practice a regular habit just like brushing your teeth.
“The new My Guide tool in the MOMENT mobile app serves as a full-spectrum solution for hearing aid adoption fatigue, aiding both hearing care professionals and patients to achieve success with hearing aids,” Helmink said. “Moving forward, the app and My Guide tool will be updated to reflect new Widex models and product series, ensuring patients and hearing care professionals have the best hearing aid experience possible with all the information they need available in one, convenient location.”
My Guide is available through the new WIDEX MOMENT app version 1.3. Widex recently expanded the WIDEX MOMENT portfolio to include BTE13D and CIC-micro models, a refresh to the Compass GPS 4.2 software, and a Charge n Clean Charging Case.
[1] McCormack A, Fortnum H. Why do people fitted with hearing aids not wear them? International Journal of Audiology. 2013:52(5):360-368.
Source: Widex, International Journal of Audiology
Images: Widex
