by Christian Long

Quick Tips: Support for Sound Processor Replacements

September 23, 2024

You are probably very familiar with the feeling of “so much to do, so little time.”

To take some of the detailed, operational burden off your hands, Cochlear has a dedicated team of support specialists to help you and your patients in maximizing their hearing. Our goal is to handle some of the details, so you can focus on serving your patients in the best way possible.

Cochlear Specialists can guide recipients through the following:

Understanding insurance coverage
Getting out-of-pocket quotes
Supporting with Letters of Medical Necessity
Explaining new technology
Supporting the recipient through the ordering process

Last year this team helped over 1,400 recipients and countless clinics.

Talk to your Cochlear representative to learn more about this program, or you can direct your patients HERE so they can schedule time with a specialist.

6 important adult CI hearing therapy resources

November 12, 2020

With more time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, hearing therapy tools are more vital than ever to encourage proactive practice as rehabilitation can be an important component for successful outcomes. Clinicians are instrumental in motivating and equipping patients with the appropriate training resources to drive desired outcomes.

Here are a few adult-based resources to share with your patients:

Hearing therapy tips handout

These hearing therapy tips help instill confidence in hearing capabilities through varied level activities. Moreover, app and web solutions are also provided for language and word recognition lessons.

Telephone with Confidence

Want to provide resources to your patients to help with using their phone? The Telephone with Confidence program is a free service consisting of a toll-free number and rotating list of words and phrases to follow along with online as they practice using the telephone with an implantable hearing solution.

Communication Corner

Cochlear’s Communication Corner provides specific programs and resources that can be utilized and completed in the comfort of home. These can be tailored to meet any individual’s listening and language needs. The adult programs and activities are designed to improve listening, encourage conversations and instill confidence. Activities focus on detection, discrimination, identification and comprehension, in addition to telephone communications, music appreciation and pitch perception improvement.

Bring Back the Beat

The Bring Back the Beat app is designed to help cochlear implant recipients reconnect with music through a self-managed, game-based practice tool that facilitates music appreciation and pitch perception. Users can monitor their own progress as they advance through the various levels.

Hearing therapy webinar

Cochlear’s Hearing Therapy Resources as a Clinic Differentiator webinar will guide you through the myriad of patient-dependent options you can utilize to support your patients.

Adult Home-based Hearing Therapy Manuals

A clinician’s version of the Adult Home-Based Hearing Therapy Manuals provides a guide for establishing an appropriate training level for newly activated CI patients and helps to better manage time spent on training of auditory skills.

The recipient manual includes a Hearing Therapy Exercise Plan, which can be completed by the clinician and the recipient for in-home training use.

To learn more about our resources please subscribe to Cochlear ProNews.

Ready-to-Wear Cochlear™ Sound Processor Upgrades

March 4, 2024

Getting a sound processor upgrade can be an exciting and anticipated occasion for your patients. Did you know there is an option for your patients to receive their new Nucleus® or Kanso® Sound Processor upgrade pre-programmed so that they can wear it right away? This complimentary service is called Ready-to-Wear (RTW). Read on to review the FAQs regarding this service.

What is Ready-to-Wear?

Ready-to-Wear is a free of charge service provided by Cochlear. Before your patient’s sound processor upgrade ships from Cochlear, our Hear Always Team can pre-load their current programs onto the device so that it can be worn as soon as it arrives in the mail.

Why would I encourage eligible patients to choose Ready-to-Wear?

Ready-to-Wear allows your patients to use their new sound processor right out of the box.
Ready-to-Wear saves you time in the clinic by not having to schedule a follow-up appointment to program the processor.

How does Cochlear load my patient’s MAPs to their new sound processor?

The most efficient option is by using Cochlear Link, our secure cloud-based service which connects the clinic and Cochlear’s Hear Always program, allowing instant access to a patient’s most recent MAP for servicing or upgrading with RTW.
You can check to see if your clinic is already enrolled in Cochlear Link here.
For more information or to enroll in Cochlear Link, please contact CochlearLink@cochlear.com

How can my patients choose Ready-to-Wear?

Your patients can choose Ready-to-Wear when they place an upgrade order for a Cochlear Nucleus or Kanso Sound Processor.
They have multiple options on how to place an upgrade order, including but not limited to: using Cochlearstore.com, scheduling a virtual appointment with a Cochlear upgrade specialist, through you, or by calling Cochlear at 800-523-5798.
No matter where they place their order for a sound processor upgrade, the option is available to choose Ready-to-Wear.

Are there any scenarios where my patient should still schedule an appointment to see me after receiving their RTW processor?

Yes, and below is the guidance provided to patients on a card within their sound processor upgrade box:

Please encourage your patients to consider Ready-to-Wear when placing an order for a Cochlear Nucleus or Kanso Sound Processor upgrade. For additional information regarding eligibility, check out our Hear and Now blog.

* Ready-to-Wear is available to recipients age 5 or older. The Ready-to-Wear service is not available for hybrid externals and certain implant types. For bimodal recipients with a compatible ReSound hearing aid to take advantage of smart bimodal streaming, they will need to visit their clinician to have the hearing aid and sound processor re-linked.

ReSound is a trademark of GN Hearing A/S

For compatibility information and devices, visit cochlear.com/compatibility and resound.com/compatibility.

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Clinical Programming Series: ESRTby Rebecca Cale / September 16, 2024