Question
What is the Cochlear Provider Network (CPN) and why is it important?
Answer
The Cochlear Provider Network (CPN) connects independent dispensing audiology/audiology-ENT practices dedicated to treating hearing loss with surgeons who are interested in raising hearing implant awareness. CPN membership is determined by stringent profile criteria focused on:
- A desire to offer all hearing solutions – beyond traditional amplification
- An inherent drive to be the hearing health care expert in the community
- Being comfortable with a medical model and partnering with a surgeon
- Experience with billing for services
- Being a licensed audiologist
Cochlear is the only manufacturer that offers a complete portfolio of implantable solutions, including cochlear implants, bone conduction, and revolutionary technologies such as Cochlear® Hybrid™ Hearing, which addresses hard-to-fit ski slope hearing loss.
We know that audiologists are the center of their patients’ hearing health care and the audiologists’ opinion and knowledge drive the patient’s decision making process. By offering all hearing loss treatments – hearing aids, bone anchored, and cochlear implant solutions – you become the highly competent expert, consistently providing patient satisfaction. This expertise is a huge differentiator and a distinct advantage over those who have limited service offerings.
With the exception of the actual surgical procedure, CPN providers are involved in the “cradle to grave” care of their patients. This is much different from a standard referral model where you may not ever see your patients again.
Many of the patients who would benefit from an implantable hearing solution are sitting in dispensing audiologists’ offices. Unfortunately, the following data from Blanchfield and colleagues (2001), as well as from Cochlear's recipient data point to a gap in service offerings:
- Less than 10% of people who would benefit from an implantable hearing solution are treated
- When implant recipients were polled, the majority say they did not receive information about implantable options from their dispensing audiologist or hearing aid provider
- Over 77% of recipients say that if they could do it over again, they would have gotten their implant sooner
The question is – how do you start exposing your patients to potentially life-changing implantable solutions? If you are interested in learning more, call us at 888-257-6479, or send an email to CPN@cochlear.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
References
Blanchfield, B.B., Feldman, J.J., Dunbar, J.L., and Gardner, E.N. (2001). The severely to profoundly hearing-impaired population in the United States: Prevalence estimates and demographics. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 12(4), 183-89.
For more information, visit Cochlear.com or the Cochlear Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.
