Audigy and Dr. Cliff Olson Join Forces to Launch HearingLoss.com

Vancouver, Wash — Two big names in hearing health care have joined forces to launch HearingLoss.com, a website that combines patient education, an online hearing screener, and a national directory of high-quality professionals who can diagnose and treat hearing loss, which affects an estimated 48 million people in the United States.

The partnership features Audigy, which offers business management services to hundreds of hearing care practices across North America, and Dr. Cliff Olson, a popular Audiology influencer. Olson's YouTube channel, @DrCliffAuD, has over 260,000 subscribers and features more than 800 videos about hearing loss and hearing treatment with over 42 million views, making him the most visible hearing care expert in the U.S. He also leads the HearingUp network, which connects patients with hearing care providers that follow audiologic best practices.

Mason Walker, chief executive officer of Audigy, said last year's U.S. Food and Drug Administration decision to allow the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids, as well the rise of hearing benefit management companies, big-box retail hearing care, and direct-to-consumer advertising by hearing aid manufacturers has raised awareness of hearing loss.

"With the rise in awareness also comes a lot of competing voices and sources of information," Walker said. "Audigy teamed up with Dr. Cliff to produce credible information and send people to the best professionals. Our goal is to build HearingLoss.com into the WebMD for hearing care – a site the public and professionals trust."

Hearing loss is a common, but often undiagnosed or untreated, medical condition. According to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA):

• 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss
• 22 million Americans, or 22 percent, are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work
• 2.7 million military veterans are either being treated for hearing problems or are receiving disability compensation for service-related hearing disabilities
• 13 percent of kids between ages 6 and 19 have hearing loss as a result of listening to loud music, particularly through earbuds or headphones

Hearing aid adoption rates have significantly increased in the last 30 years. However, only one in five people who would benefit from a hearing aid use one, according to the HLAA.

HearingLoss.com unites hundreds of hearing care professionals across the country who are dedicated to putting patients first. Experts created and approved a growing library of information and resources. Every practice listed on the site, whether it's an independent audiology clinic, ENT, or health system, either has professionals that meet the quality standards for audiologic best practices through Dr. Olson's HearingUp Network or engages in patient experience training, support, and education with Audigy, which offers business management services to hundreds of hearing care practices across North America.

The new website features:

• Content created and approved by experts across the country that explains how hearing works and the signs, causes, and types of hearing loss. The site also includes a tips blog, informational videos, and data on the importance of hearing health.
• The Guided Hearing Experience, a free online hearing screener that only requires a quiet place and a set of headphones. Results are instant. They can help consumers determine whether they may have hearing loss – and give providers information they can use to offer help right in the first patient visit.
• A comprehensive national directory of high-quality hearing care professionals, searchable by zip code. The network includes hundreds of providers across North America and allows consumers to request an appointment with a local expert right from the site.

In addition, HearingLoss.com is now offering its providers an industry-first certification that combines audiologic best practices and exceptional patient care standards. Certified professionals will earn special designation on HearingLoss.com, connecting patients to quality providers. Best practices set by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology are the foundation for the certification, along with Audigy's 19 years of practice management expertise creating exceptional experiences for patients. Together, these audiologic and business best practices help patients by improving their outcomes and increasing their satisfaction.

Olson says HearingLoss.com will be a powerful tool for consumers.

"What I've learned from social media is that patients are highly motivated by quality," Olson said. "When it comes to their health, they want to know what works and what quality care looks like and feels like. They want trustworthy information. Hearing care can be confusing—and HearingLoss.com is there to cut through the clutter with expert advice and assistance."