Your Hearing Network (YHN), a network of approximately 2,000 audiology and hearing care professional service provider locations, and Tinnitus Treatment Solutions LLC (TTS) expanded their partnership to incorporate an increased focus on tinnitus care.
According to the two organizations, the expanded partnership allows patients to initially go to either TTS or a YHN provider to ensure that broader customized sound therapy and expert clinical care reach a greater number of patients. The agreement also reportedly helps to address a gap in tinnitus care by allowing each organization to build from its respective strengths. Patients can benefit from expert tinnitus audiology care through telemedicine when combined with in-person care and tinnitus hearing aid technologies, say the two organizations. Patients getting this combination of care may also be more satisfied with their tinnitus devices and long-term results.
“We have been pleased with this partnership and the high level of expertise that TTS brings,” said Edward P. Braun, YHN vice president. “This relationship leverages the strengths of each group. Our sites are excited to be able to increase their patient flow and tinnitus care while maintaining their heightened expectations and level of care.”
According to the announcement, TTS handles all tinnitus education, counseling and habituation follow-up for the local YHN site, helping to alleviate the amount of time that tinnitus care can entail. YHN sites benefit from increased patient flow from those seeking expert tinnitus care. YHN sites also earn a fee for handling the programming of the tinnitus hearing aid or micro tinnitus device.
“We have had success partnering on the care of patients we have sent to YHN sites and are excited about this expansion,” said Alex O’Dell, AuD, TTS clinician. “More patients can now benefit from this care, and as a tinnitus practitioner, that is extremely satisfying. Telemedicine for tinnitus care was pioneered by the Veterans Administration and is an effective treatment option. Combined with the size and coverage of the YHN network, it truly opens the door to addressing this critical gap in care.”
Your Hearing Network (YHN) is a managed care organization for independent hearing healthcare practices nationwide that connects patients with hearing loss to local hearing healthcare professionals. Tinnitus Treatment Solutions (TTS) is an independent professional organization comprised of audiologists specializing in tinnitus counseling and education services. TTS facilitates screening and treatment of tinnitus patients and offers patient-centered care using a sound therapy-based approach delivered via tele-audiology tools.
Source: YHN, TTS