Doc Talk by MedAudPro

Network of Medical Audiology Professionals

A place where providers in ENT chat it up. Its hard to stay on top of all the specialties in a multi-specialty environment. We like to pick a topic, find the experts and deliver a heavy-hitting, short-format series that allows our listeners to dive in and get up to speed quickly. Our provider community is smart, busy and collaborative. You don't have to be an otolaryngologist or audiologist to hang out here - our community is full of medical providers of all types - the broader the perspective - often the better the care.

  1. Ep 03 - Richard Gurgel, MD | CI Insights | Beyond Hearing - The Brain Health Connection

    2 DAYS AGO

    Ep 03 - Richard Gurgel, MD | CI Insights | Beyond Hearing - The Brain Health Connection

    What if hearing loss isn't just about hearing? For decades, hearing loss has often been viewed as a quality-of-life issue or simply part of aging. But what if we've been framing it all wrong? What if untreated hearing loss is actually a whole-body health issue with consequences that extend far beyond communication? Meet Dr. Richard Gurgel, MD, an NIH-funded surgeon scientist at the University of Utah whose research focuses on the relationship between hearing loss, cognition, and cochlear implantation. Dr. Gurgel is known for his work on the influential Cache County Study, which helped demonstrate that older adults with hearing loss experience higher rates of dementia and faster cognitive decline. His latest work examines the long-term impact of cochlear implantation on cognitive outcomes over five years. In this episode, we explore one of the biggest questions in hearing healthcare today: can treating hearing loss actually change the trajectory of brain health? What You'll Hear: · Hearing Loss as a Medical Condition: Why hearing loss should no longer be dismissed as a normal part of aging · The Brain Health Connection: How hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline, dementia risk, social isolation, falls, depression, and overall health outcomes · Five-Year CI Outcomes: What long-term data reveals about cognition after cochlear implantation · Stability Is a Win: Why maintaining cognitive function in older adults may be one of the most important outcomes in medicine · Beyond Communication: How cochlear implants may support healthy aging through social engagement and brain stimulation · The Screening Challenge: Why hearing screening still has not become standard practice in primary care · Reframing the Message: Moving from fear-based counseling toward conversations focused on healthy aging and quality of life · Demystifying Surgery: Why cochlear implantation may be safer and less invasive than many patients and providers assume · Local vs General Anesthesia: Emerging approaches that may reduce barriers for older adults considering implantation · Awareness Is the Real Bottleneck: Why technology may not be the biggest challenge anymore Dr. Gurgel challenges the field to think bigger. The question is no longer whether hearing loss matters. The question is whether healthcare is ready to treat it like the medical condition it truly is. Who should listen? Audiologists, otolaryngologists, neurotologists, primary care providers, geriatricians, neurologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, hospital administrators, and anyone interested in the connection between hearing, cognition, and healthy aging. If you've ever wondered whether treating hearing loss can impact more than communication, this conversation may change how you think about hearing healthcare altogether. Stay up to date with us: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @MedAudPro Want to learn more about FCOM?https://FCOMnow.com Join the MedAudPro Provider Community for free access to behind-the-password content and connect with providers practicing at the top of their game:https://medaudpro.com/register This episode is sponsored by Envoy Medical.

    29 min
  2. Ep 02 - Hemina Harris, ARNP | CI Insights | The Referral Gap - Where Cochlear Implant Candidates Get Lost

    2 DAYS AGO

    Ep 02 - Hemina Harris, ARNP | CI Insights | The Referral Gap - Where Cochlear Implant Candidates Get Lost

    How many cochlear implant candidates are current hearing aid patients being seen in audiology and ENT clinics right now without anyone realizing it? Meet Hemina Harris, ARNP, a nurse practitioner specializing in general otolaryngology and pediatrics at the University of Iowa Health Care System, adjacent to one of the country’s most established cochlear implant centers. Working on the front lines of ENT, Mina often becomes the first provider to recognize when a patient’s hearing loss may need to progress into a CI consult. In this episode, we take a closer look at one of the biggest blind spots in cochlear implant care: the referral pathway itself. Why are so many qualified patients still slipping through the cracks? And what happens before they ever reach the cochlear implant team? What You’ll Hear: · The Front Door Problem: Why general otolaryngology clinics may be one of the most overlooked opportunities for identifying CI candidates · “I Thought Hearing Aids Were My Only Option”: The education gap preventing patients from exploring cochlear implants sooner · The 60/60 Referral Rule: A simple screening framework that can help providers recognize potential CI candidates faster · Workflow Bottlenecks: How imaging, insurance approvals, scheduling delays, and fragmented communication slow patient access · The Mid-Level Perspective: Why nurse practitioners and physician assistants are uniquely positioned to improve CI identification and coordination · Referral Confidence Matters: How seeing successful patient outcomes encourages more providers to refer candidates earlier · The Communication Disconnect: Why providers inside the same department often never hear what happened after a referral is made · Building Better Systems: How multidisciplinary teams can improve coordination and reduce the risk of patients getting lost in the process Mina offers a practical and honest look at what happens in real-world ENT clinics every day. From quick screening conversations to coordinating imaging before surgical consults, this episode highlights the critical role advanced practice providers play in helping patients access cochlear implant care sooner. Who should listen? Audiologists, otolaryngologists, neurotologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, primary care providers, cochlear implant coordinators, practice administrators, and anyone involved in hearing healthcare delivery. If you’ve ever wondered where cochlear implant candidates are getting lost before they even make it to the CI team, this conversation shines a light on the gaps and the opportunities to fix them. Stay up to date with us: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @MedAudPro Want to learn more about FCOM? https://FCOMnow.com Join the MedAudPro Provider Community for free access to behind-the-password content and connect with providers practicing at the top of their game: https://medaudpro.com/register This episode is sponsored by Envoy Medical.

    21 min
  3. Ep 00 - Camille Dunn, PhD | CI Insights | From 2023 - 2026 - What's Changed & What Hasn't

    SEASON 3 TRAILER

    Ep 00 - Camille Dunn, PhD | CI Insights | From 2023 - 2026 - What's Changed & What Hasn't

    She's back! Meet Dr. Camille Dunn, PhD, cochlear implant expert, industry leader, and the co-host who helped make our 2023 CI series a success. In this intro episode, Susan and Camille reunite to set the stage for what's changed (and what hasn't) in cochlear implant care since 2023. What You'll Hear: The State of CI in 2026: From ACIA's updated candidacy recommendations to Medicare's expanded criteria and FDA approvals opening doors for new populations, what progress has been made and where are we still stuck?Workflow Evolution: Why two-day activations became single-day, and why being open-minded about change is critical for providers todayReferral Bottlenecks & Capacity Strain: The real barriers keeping 95% of eligible patients from getting implantedTelehealth, AI & Trimming Unnecessary Visits: How modern CI programs are rethinking post-operative careBreaking Down Silos: Why cochlear implants are no longer just for specialists - general practice audiologists need to be in the loopICIT Partnership Announcement: Learn about the exciting pre-conference hands-on CI training coming to FCOM in November 2026 at the Grand Floridian (Nov 12-15).Camille brings her experience as Associate Professor and Director of the Iowa Cochlear Implant Clinical Research Center, plus her role co-authoring the landmark ACIA Task Force recommendations for adult CI candidacy. Over the next 12 episodes, she and Susan will tackle the biggest questions in CI care with surgeons, audiologists, researchers, and innovators driving the field forward. Who should listen? Audiologists (CI specialists AND general practice), otolaryngologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, speech-language pathologists, and anyone working in or around hearing healthcare. This isn't just about staying current—it's about understanding how CI candidacy has fundamentally shifted, and what that means for the patients sitting in front of you today. Stay up to date with us: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @MedAudPro Want to learn more about FCOM? https://FCOMnow.com Join the MedAudPro Provider Community for free access to behind-the-password content and connect with providers practicing at the top of their game: https://medaudpro.com/register This episode is sponsored by Envoy Medical.

    24 min
  4. Ep 01 - Dan Zeitler, MD | CI Insights | The Market Pulse - What's Driving Awareness & Access in 2026

    5 MAY

    Ep 01 - Dan Zeitler, MD | CI Insights | The Market Pulse - What's Driving Awareness & Access in 2026

    What's really driving cochlear implant growth in 2026? And what's holding it back? Meet Dr. Dan Zeitler, MD, FACS, Chair of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACIA) and co-director of the Listen for Life Cochlear Implant Center in Seattle. As the lead author on ACIA's groundbreaking task force recommendations for adult CI candidacy, Dan has a front-row seat to the market forces reshaping the field. What You'll Hear: ·      The Penetration Problem: Why only 2% of eligible candidates are getting implanted under expanded criteria (down from 12-13% under traditional Medicare standards) ·      The Numerator vs. Denominator Challenge: More people are being implanted than ever before, but the pool of eligible candidates is growing even faster ·      Who's Coming Through the Door (and Who Isn't): Why single-sided deafness and asymmetric hearing loss patients are flowing in, but bilateral hearing loss patients remain resistant ·      Supply vs. Demand: Is the bigger bottleneck lack of patient awareness or lack of clinical capacity? ·      The Primary Care Gap: Why PCPs are the critical missing link in the referral pathway ·      Workflow Revolution: How reducing appointment schedules, adopting remote programming, and partnering with community audiologists can scale CI access ·      The 40-Year Problem: Why the field must be willing to change workflows that have been standard practice for decades Dan doesn't pull punches: "We all have to be willing to change what we've done with our patients for the last 40 years. We have to be willing to change." This conversation tackles Medicare expansion, private payer follow-through, competitive dynamics among the three major manufacturers, and the workforce capacity constraints threatening to create a supply-side crisis. Who should listen?Audiologists, otolaryngologists, neurotologists, program directors, hospital administrators, payers, policymakers, and anyone trying to understand why 95% of eligible CI candidates still aren't getting implanted.If you're wondering whether the field is actually ready for the demand that expanded candidacy could create, this episode gives you the honest answer. Stay up to date with us: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @MedAudPro Want to learn more about FCOM? https://FCOMnow.com Join the MedAudPro Provider Community for free access to behind-the-password content and connect with providers practicing at the top of their game: https://medaudpro.com/register This episode is sponsored by Envoy Medical.

    28 min

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A place where providers in ENT chat it up. Its hard to stay on top of all the specialties in a multi-specialty environment. We like to pick a topic, find the experts and deliver a heavy-hitting, short-format series that allows our listeners to dive in and get up to speed quickly. Our provider community is smart, busy and collaborative. You don't have to be an otolaryngologist or audiologist to hang out here - our community is full of medical providers of all types - the broader the perspective - often the better the care.