Volume 6
May 6, 2020
During these challenging times, with community health goals top of mind, we regularly hear about “ The Curve ”. While our country concentrates on flattening it, Best Practices must Plan for the Other Side of it. As, on a rolling basis nationally, socially distancing helps pass the current apex, industry leaders should come together to expertly deliver Communication Wellness for those counting on us, including patients, colleagues and other healthcare providers. While phones, Facetime, Zoom and Skype are integral platforms, the optimal ability to hear and understand signifies genuine connection. Once again, we know Why.
As guided by Whole Person Care, Health Literacy and Translational Research principles, we aim to regain business momentum and positive trends via systematically high return on investment methods. As emphasized in prior Practice Growth Insights, with intense public focus on medical issues and healthcare heroes, this is an ideal time for educational leadership. Just as we encourage our kids to respect teachers, pay attention and learn all they can, do we practice what we preach and “pass the test” by being lifelong learners who knowledgeably explain why Better Hearing is Better Healthcare? As we realistically aspire to the “new normal”, comorbidity education starts at home, within our practice, triggered by each patient encounter and teachable moment.
As medical educators with interim and long-term goals in mind, strategic themes provide useful constructs with reputable and relevant lesson plans. “ Did You Know? ” is a memorable theme we established years ago. Why? As previously highlighted, because the marketplace of healthcare ideas indicates more folks need to.

Case in point, dual sensory loss comorbidity is near and dear to me, as activities of daily living for those with hearing and vision loss can be complicated in life-altering ways. After all, if two of the body’s five senses do not function properly, quality of life may be greatly diminished. While we assess our rapidly changing competitive landscape, do we consistently urge patients who prioritize vision health to, with similar intent, hear their best? Further, do you focus on dual sensory loss awareness initiatives with local optometrists or ophthalmologists, many who provide care to your patients? If not, why not?

As our “Did You Know?” visual highlights, Hearing Loss is surrounded by eight selected comorbidities, a subset of our research-based collection. Consider what % of your patients either have or know someone with one of these comorbidities. Beyond aging, which is 100%, conservative estimates of 50-75%, indicate that for every 100 patient encounters, of any type, 50-75 of those people may benefit from targeted education or be informative advocates with loved ones, friends and colleagues. If the traditional cost of attracting a new patient is $500-750+, then comparatively, what is the value of empathetic comorbidity conversations with those currently entrusted in your care? With the power of proximity, healthy behavior change is within reach.

As we Go to School on comorbidity education, our “Did You Know?” visual represents the conceptual cover on the book of HDI’s complete program. Beyond the cover, our Table of Contents includes, in addition to featured topics, these others:
  • Dementia
  • Kidney Disease
  • Depression
  • Hearing Loss Awareness & MMSE
  • Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
  • Earbuds & Noise

For each topic, detailed “Chapters” feature collections of attention-getting design templates in a variety of omni-channel formats easily customized with and for your practice.
While our strategic fulcrum is a Communication Wellness mindset, our tactical Lever is “Amplifying Your Influence” with “Did You Know?” subject matter expertise, in practice, in community and online.

As proudly dedicated learners, may we be progressive teachers with educational emphasis that “moves our world” in positive directions. Let’s talk about how to get ahead of the curve and stay there.
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Bruce Essman
CEO
High Definition Impressions (HDI)
314.276.7392