Inspired by Ida is the Institute’s new program that offers an opportunity for hearing care professionals to sharpen their counseling skills and distinguish their practice by earning the Inspired by Ida label of quality.
The program was launched at the 2018 American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Conference in Nashville, USA, and has been very positively received. Hearing care professionals and clinics from Australia, the US, the UK, and South Africa have already joined the program.
We sat down with Ida Institute Managing Director, Lise Lotte Bundesen, to talk about everything Inspired by Ida.
What is the goal of Inspired by Ida?
The overall goal is to spread the reach of person-centered care and help hearing care professionals implement a person-centered approach in their work. We also know that today’s clients are looking for a tailor-made healthcare experience, where the professional takes the time to ask questions and listens to their preferences and needs in order to recommend the best possible treatment for them. Inspired by Ida is a way for hearing care professionals to meet this demand.
Why should hearing care professionals join the program?
As technology advances and routes to accessing medical and assistive devices change, hearing care professionals are asking themselves: “What is my role as a hearing care professional? Where is my value add?” The answer is: counseling. It’s about getting to know your clients’ individual needs and preferences, how their communication problems are affecting their lifestyle and relationships, and then matching care and recommendations that will work best for them. This is a professional skill that technology cannot replace. Inspired by Ida helps hearing care professionals display the value they offer as the industry evolves.
What does Inspired by Ida offer people with hearing loss?
As the 2017 report from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission* revealed, consumers do not necessarily trust hearing care professionals to provide independent advice and recommendations. The Inspired by Ida label is a way for people to avoid such negative and unhelpful experiences and instead identify practitioners and clinics who are committed to delivering high-quality care.
A person-centered approach encourages people to articulate their needs and make shared decisions alongside their hearing care professional. This empowers them to self-manage their care and obtain better results — it is a much more satisfying experience.
How do hearing care professionals enroll in Inspired by Ida?
To qualify for the label, hearing care professionals must take two free courses in the Ida Learning Hall on how to apply person-centered methods and tools. We also ask them to sign a code of ethics stating their commitment to applying certain elementary principles of person-centered care in their daily practice. Clinics can also join the program and receive the special Inspired by Ida label for clinics. This requires that at least 80 percent of the clinic staff has completed the required courses – including managers and front-desk staff.
How do people find Inspired by Ida care near them?
Right now, hearing care providers are in the process of enrolling in the program and we have new requests from clinics ticking in every day. Once we have a robust enrollment of Inspired by Ida care providers, Ida will roll out a clinic locator which will allow people to identify clinics that offer person-centered care. We want to become a matchmaker between clinics offering person-centered counseling and clients looking for that exceptional quality of care.
Learn more about Inspired by Ida and how to participate in the program.
*Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, Issues around the sale of hearing aids, March 2017