May 15, 2007

ALEXANDRIA, Va — Better Hearing Institute (BHI) Executive Director Sergei Kochkin, PhD, and colleagues at the BHI are formulating a “model speech and presentation” that could be used and adapted by hearing care professionals during presentations to the public. Based on requests from more than 1000 hearing healthcare professionals, the BHI will be developing a scripted professional consumer outreach talk in 2007. This speech is intended to introduce the hearing healthcare practitioner’s services and products to the general public; a companion speech for medical practices will be developed in 2008.
 
In the 1980s, the BHI developed a 35 mm slide presentation which was synched to a voice over. This talk was popular but difficult to execute because of the required audiovisual equipment. With modern computer technology including laptops, light projectors, and software such as PowerPoint, effective customizable consumer outreach talks are now within reach of all hearing healthcare practitioners.
 
As a first step in the process of developing such a talk for hearing healthcare practitioners, Kochkin will be reviewing existing consumer presentations and putting together a team of experts at BHI to help design and test the outreach talk. He is requesting copies of existing PowerPoint presentations currently being used to promote hearing health care practices.

In addition, if hearing healthcare practitioners would like to give early input in terms of their needs, please send all sample presentations and commentary to: [email protected] with the subject heading “Speakers Bureau.”