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The MED-EL MessengerWinter 2016
Newsletter
Cochlear Implant Story: A Real-Life RobocopFor years, Chuckie Butler wore hearing aids and succeeded with them. But then his hearing deteriorated, and hearing aids no longer did the job.
Seeking a better hearing solution, he visited his doctor, who determined that Chuckie was a candidate for a cochlear implant. Chuckie was implanted in August of 2003, which enabled him to pursue – and achieve – his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer.
“Having the implant has allowed me to flourish as a police officer, and I strive every day to be the best police officer that I can be,” he says. “My CI gives me the ability to communicate better with the public that I serve.”
You can read more about Chuckie’s story on The MED-EL Blog at: www.medel.com/robocop.
Note: The MED-EL Blog is an international blog. As such, some of the published content may reference products or features that are not FDA approved for a U.S. audience.
An MRI Safety BreakthroughDid you know that there is almost a 100 percent chance that a person will need an MRI at least once during his or her lifetime? That’s why MRI safety is of vital importance for all cochlear implant recipients.
With that in mind, MED-EL developed the SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant – the only cochlear implant on the market that enables 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla MRI scans without the need for additional surgeries to remove the implant magnet.* With SYNCHRONY, recipients avoid unnecessary surgery and experience maximum comfort and security during an MRI that they can’t get with any other implant.
Rehabilitate with MED-EL’s Listening Up! CD Series
Listening Up! is a series of three CDs that provides independent listening practice for teen and adult cochlear implant recipients. Each CD is approximately 30 minutes in length and comes with two booklets.
• CD 1 is Listening Training for Beginners; CD 2 is Listening Training for Advanced Listeners; CD 3 is Music Training for Beginners.
• Each CD contains 11 to 12 different listening exercises and comes with both an Exercises booklet and a Solutions booklet.
To order the Listening Up! CD series, call (888) 633-3524 or email [email protected].
A Note from Our CEODear MED-EL Recipient,
As we begin a new year, I would first like to personally thank you for choosing to become a part of the MED-EL family. Each of you inspires us to grow as your cochlear implant provider, and there are a number of ways we plan to do that in 2016.
Customer service, as always, will remain atop our priority list. Nothing is more important to me than making sure we are providing you with the best hearing experience possible. That’s why MED-EL offers 24/7 customer support, as well as access to our In-House Audiology Team and Patient Support Team. Our scientists and engineers are also hard at work, and they have made several advancements that I’m excited to share with you in the year ahead.
We owe the progress we’ve made to all of our recipients, as developing the best cochlear implant technology in the world is simply just not possible without your support.
Sincerely,
Ray Gamble CEO, MED-EL North America
Walk4Hearing 2016MED-EL is the proud presenting sponsor of the 2016 Walk4Hearing, organized by the Hearing Loss Association of America. We hope you’ll join us for one or more of the walks listed below:
SpringMay 14 – Chattanooga, TN May 14 – Dayton/Cincinnati, OH May 14 – Westchester/Rockland, NY May 21 – Milford, MI May 21 – Milwaukee, WI June 11 – Long Beach, CA June 11 – Hartford, CT June 12 – Littleton, CO
FallSeptember 24 – Minneapolis, MNSeptember 25 – Chicago, ILSeptember 25 – New York City, NYTBD – Houston, TX October 2 – Rochester, NY October 8 – St. Louis, MOOctober 9 – Philadelphia, PAOctober 16 – West Windsor, NJOctober 16 – Cary, NCOctober 16 – San Diego, CAOctober 22 – Washington, DCOctober 30 – Brighton, MANovember 5 – Jacksonville, FLNovember 12 – Mesa, AZTI
PS &
TR
ICK
S
Hearing Loss Association of America
Using an Audio Cable with Quattro 4.0
The design of the ClearSounds Quattro 4.0 Bluetooth assistive-listening device features a telecoil loop worn around the neck. There is also a jack located at the top of the Quattro to connect headphones (standard 3.5 mm stereo plug). Telecoil is subject to interference in certain listening environments, and this provides a unique option to use headphones.
For MED-EL users, the headphone jack also allows connecting an audio cable to the Quattro. Simply plug an audio cable into the Quattro’s headphone jack and connect the end with the three pins to your FM Sleeve or Mini-Battery Pack.
NOTE: Telecoil — “T” or “MT” — is NOT used with audio cables.
For more information on connecting with Bluetooth, telecoil, or audio cables, visit medel.com.
Quattro 4.0: A Perfect Sidekick for the Bimodal UserToni Barrient, 68, says she doesn’t go anywhere without her Quattro 4.0, a Bluetooth assistive-listening device made by ClearSounds that helps cochlear implant recipients hear their cellphones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Since the Quattro can also be used with any hearing aid equipped with a telecoil or direct audio input, we asked her a few questions about how the Quattro provides a great listening experience for bimodal users like herself:
Q: How do you use your Quattro?Toni: I mostly use my Quattro 4.0 with my cellphone, and that includes telephone calls. I’m a big fan of talk radio, so I also like to listen to podcasts. I occasionally use the remote microphone that comes with it, and I use that if I’m sitting in a meeting to hear the speaker.
Q: What’s the advantage of being able to use your Quattro with both your hearing aid and cochlear implant?Toni: When using the Quattro with my CI and hearing aid, I’m able to reduce background noise from both sides. The combination of
acoustical sound and digital sound makes for a richer, fuller fidelity of sound, and my overall confidence is boosted because I can relax more during a phone call.
Q: What’s one big advantage of using the Quattro?Toni: When you’re listening to a conversation, you are actually rehabbing yourself. I’ve had my CI for about four and a half years, and in the last year or so I think I’ve noticed a remarkable improvement in my hearing. I have to wonder if it’s not because I’m in “listening mode” with the Quattro for a greater part of the day.
MED-EL Corporation2511 Old Cornwallis Road, Suite 100 | Durham, NC [email protected] medel.com25
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* The SYNCHRONY Cochlear Implant is approved for MRI scanning at 1.5T and 3.0T without magnet removal. Please ensure that all conditions described in the IFU for scanning are followed. For MRI scanning instructions and information on potential risks and contraindications relating to implantation, please visit www.medel.com/us/isi-cochlear-implant-systems/.
Consumer Outreach Managers Do you know who your Consumer Outreach Manager is? At MED-EL, the Consumer Outreach Managers are responsible for giving candidates and recipients all the support and educational information they need to succeed. They can provide you with:
• Information on all MED-EL technologies and our BRIDGE rehabilitation program• Troubleshooting tips and tricks• Support for the MED-EL child in the classroom• MED-EL programs and counseling for recipients
If you would like to learn more, the Consumer Outreach Manager in your region would love to hear from you!
West RegionAK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, WY
Jennifer [email protected]
Southwest RegionAR, AZ, CO, KS, LA, NM, OK, TX
Keri [email protected]
Nathalie [email protected]
Midwest RegionIA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI
Lyra [email protected]
Christine [email protected]
Northeast RegionCT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, CT, WV
Jeanne [email protected]
Southeast RegionAL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN
Virgi [email protected]
Taylor [email protected]
