WSA: asking about sound preference lifted hearing aid uptake 5 points

Hearing aid conversion rates rose by 5 percentage points when clinicians systematically explored a patient's sound preferences, according to new clinical study results from WSA, a hearing healthcare group. The studies covered 42 clinics in Spain, Canada and the US.

The work follows the April launch of WSA Sound Preference, a global program with research and clinical tools. In the studies, 63 hearing care professionals took part over more than three months. Forty-three of them were in Spain and 20 in the US and Canada. They used the Sound Preference tool and a follow-up discussion with both new and experienced hearing aid users.

The tool lets a patient compare natural and enhanced sound designs across five listening scenarios. Clinicians then weigh what the patient says against hearing needs and other fitting requirements.

Spain and North America

The 5-point figure is a global average. The Spanish study showed an advantage of 4.3 percentage points, and the North American one 5.8.

In Spain, about 40% of clients voiced a moderate or strong preference for one sound design. Those preferences split roughly evenly between natural and enhanced sound.

Spanish clinicians also reported benefits during the consultation itself. Some 84% agreed that the approach improved the clinical experience they could offer, and 77% agreed it improved the likelihood of choosing the right hearing aid. They also noted greater patient involvement.

The Spanish results are described in a white paper by Laura Winther Balling, Ingrid Rubio Roldán and José Antonio Navarrete Salmerón.

Two sound designs

The findings back WSA's strategy of keeping two distinct sound design platforms. Widex Allure AI is aimed at listeners who prefer a natural sound. It uses the W1 chip and Precision Hearing Technology, plus a Clarity Boost program that activates a dedicated AI co-processor in noise.

Signia Multi-adaptive Xperience (MaX) is for those who prefer an enhanced sound. It emphasizes speech clarity and comfort in complex environments, using four task-specific deep neural networks.

For patients without a clear preference, the tool leaves room to prioritize other clinical needs, and the clinician's judgment guides the final recommendation.

Balling, senior evidence and research manager at WSA, said in the release: "Helping patients recognize what sounds right to them gives them a voice in that decision."

Adina Bahcevanii, head of marketing at WSA, said in the release: "Our investment in Widex and Signia gives hearing care professionals distinct sound designs to work with, while Sound Preference helps them understand what matters to the person in front of them."

Source: The Hearing Review