US hearing aid sales increased nominally by 0.8% to 4.77 million units in 2022, compared to the post-pandemic year of 2021, when sales surged by 37%, according to the Hearing Industries Association (HIA).
Wireless earbuds and innovative audio solutions were one of the predominant themes of this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Here are HR Editor Karl Strom's three takeaways from CES2022 regarding innovation and the upcoming OTC hearing aid category.
This month we’ll look at US hearing aid style preferences and selection trends, as reported in Hearing Industries Association (HIA) historical statistics, along with estimates by “The Hearing Review.”
We need to celebrate the victories when we can. The progress made in creating awareness about the links between diabetes and hearing loss has been impressive.
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William (Bill) Austin celebrated his 60th year in the hearing healthcare field in February. As the founder of Starkey, one of the “Big 6” hearing aid manufacturers, he is probably among less than a handful of people who have continuously helmed a global hearing aid company from the 1970s to the present.
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The past year has been anything but typical. However, if long-term hearing aid sales trends are predictive of future dispensing volume, then the statistics suggest we should—right now in March—be arriving at one of the best times of the year for business. And that means trying to make the most of this period while preparing for the better days to come.
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With the rise of telecare and DIY/self-fit hearing devices (for at least milder hearing losses), hearing healthcare stakeholders will need to determine how and in what markets they do business.
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MedPB is offering the free web event, “How to Reduce Uncertainty and Sell More Hearing Aids”, starting on Wednesday, January 27, designed to highlight how hearing care practices are growing despite the pandemic, as well as strategies for getting patients “stick like glue” and increase sales.
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According to Hearing Industries Association (HIA) statistics, total net hearing aid sales in 2020 reached 3.47 million units, a decrease of 18.0%, with the private/commercial sector experiencing a decrease of 14.2% and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a decrease of 34.0%. Here is an analysis of hearing aid sales in 2020, including state-by-state unit losses, and what the future might hold in 2021.
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Here are what we consider to be a few of the best “must-read articles” and special features ‘Hearing Review’ published in 2020.
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Oticon is changing its brand message—but not its philosophy. Earlier this year, the company announced the change of its longtime “People First” branding to “Life-Changing Technology.”
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Marjorie D. Skafte, the longtime editor and publisher of ‘Hearing Instruments’ magazine and former publisher emeritus of ‘The Hearing Review’ died on October 25 at age 99.
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Whisper may have a quiet name, but it could reverberate loudly in the hearing healthcare industry. Launched by an impressive group of AI, Silicon Valley, and hearing care executives, Whisper features an external brain for the dedicated processing of sound, a subscription-based system, and regular software-based upgrades for consumers.
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Hearing aid specialist Paul Saxby writes, “Count me among those outraged, and absolutely not contrite, about the US Preventative Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) second erroneous conclusion in 8 years regarding hearing screening for adults.”
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It may not be a miraculous market recovery for the hearing healthcare field, but it’s still very good. Total US hearing aid net unit sales—while still down by -6.2% in the third quarter —made what can be considered a very strong rebound from the -58.6% thumping experienced from April-June (Q2) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, statistics generated by HIA show that private/commercial sector hearing aid sales actually increased by 0.5% compared to Q3 of last year.
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As it did 8 years ago, USPSTF has come to the same conclusion that there is not enough evidence to recommend physicians screen for hearing loss in adults age 50 and older without signs or symptoms of hearing loss. How should we react to this? An opinion is offered from Karl Strom, Douglas Beck, David Fabry, Thomas Powers, and Kate Carr.
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Exceptional sound quality—above all the other “bells and whistles” that the latest generation of hearing aids provide (eg, connectivity, remote fine-tuning, hands-free phone calls, motion-sensors and tap controls, virtual assistants, etc)—may turn out to be THE final hurdle for convincing younger people with milder hearing losses to purchase a hearing aid.
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In general, business conditions improved significantly, with US hearing aid sales estimated at about 85% of what they were last June. Most market analysts are also predicting large increases in sales for 2021-2022 due to pent-up demand.
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