They’re Inspired! Sandton Hearing & Balance in Johannesburg, South Africa is the latest audiology clinic to join Inspired by Ida.
The Inspired by Ida label is a benchmark of quality that demonstrates a dedication to person-centered care (PCC). To become Inspired, clinicians complete two online courses in person-centered methods and sign a code of ethics underscoring their commitment to PCC.
Sandton Hearing & Balance, in the leafy suburb of Bryanston, has been helping people with hearing loss — from newborns to seniors — since 2008. When COVID-19 forced the team of six audiologists and three administrators to temporarily close the clinic this year, they used the downtime to improve their person-centered skills by enrolling in Inspired by Ida.
Practice director and audiologist Tanya Hanekom said, “As we’ve gradually been exposed to person-centered care over the years, we’ve implemented parts of it in our consultations. Now that our entire team has completed the Inspired by Ida program, we’ve started to use the tools in a more structured manner.”
Tanya and her team now use the Line and the Box in their consultations as well as the stages of change. But she says the biggest change they’ve made since completing the program is encouraging their clients to set their own goals for their appointments and really focusing on what is most important to them. "The words ‘This is your hearing journey’ form part of our everyday language,” Tanya said. “We strongly believe that the journey of hearing loss diagnosis, action, and acceptance is the patient’s journey to walk. As clinicians we simply facilitate the process.”
Ida’s Managing Director, Lise Lotte Bundesen, welcomed the new clinic to the Inspired by Ida family, saying, “As clinics around the world continue joining the Inspired by Ida program, it shows that quality person-centered care is relevant across cultures and continents. We’re happy Tanya and her team at Sandton Hearing & Balance in beautiful South Africa have become Inspired and we look forward to a long relationship.”
Visit our Inspired by Ida page to learn more about the program and how to join.