Vision 2020 Meetings Discuss the Future Role of the Audiologist

By Amanda Farah Cox

After months of virtual meetings, Ida hosted two sets of physical meetings in Skodsborg, Denmark during the last week of February to wrap up our Vision 2020 process. We devoted a day and a half each to both the Hearing Care Manager of the Future and Tele-health, where the participants took inspiration from outside presenters, participated in team-building activities, and dreamed up projects for further development.

The meetings were an opportunity for the participants – who began communicating virtually in August of last year – to exchange ideas and share experiences gained in both the clinic and the classroom.

“I felt the ideas put out by the participants were realistic and the experience gave me hope that audiologists will define our place in the new model of service delivery and work to future-proof our profession together whilst creating more successful client outcomes,” says Heidi Limareff, who participated in both meetings.

The Hearing Care Manager of the Future examined what tools audiologists will need to serve patients as the field continues to evolve. The participants were divided into two groups, where they devised the themes “Communication for Life,” and “Fit for the Future.”

The Tele-health meeting examined how audiologists can use this new platform to offer services to their patients, while still maintaining a high standard of patient centered care. Themes included ways to implement tele-audiology, educational platforms, and how tele-audiology can give clinicians more time to focus on the therapeutic aspects of treatment.

We are currently working on organizing and expanding the projects designed during the meetings. We’re looking forward to sharing the resulting tools and materials with the Ida community, and we’re still developing the final stage of Vision 2020: The Big Message.