The Queensland Chapter Conference & Workshops will be held at voco Brisbane City Centre on Friday 27 & Saturday 28 October 2023. Please see below for the Queensland Conference Day Program and the Workshop Day Program.
Queensland Workshop Program
The Queensland Workshop Day will be held on Friday 27 October 2023. All times are in AEST time (QLD time).
3 CPD Points per Workshop
| Time (AEST) | Details | Speaker/s |
| 0815 - 0845 | Workshop 1 Arrival & Sign In | |
| 0900 - 1030 | Workshop 1: A common language to communicate in. The NALguide: hearing aid features explained Improving a client’s knowledge about their hearing loss and rehabilitation options can foster increased participation in the shared decision-making process in client-centered care, influence hearing-aid purchase decisions, and improve uptake and self-management of hearing aids. The interactive hands-on workshop using the NALguide is intended to help you demystify hearing aid features for your clients. The workshop covers the development of a simple guide called “Hearing aid features explained” to support people in exploring the hearing aid features that could be used for their listening needs and discuss them with their family and clinician. Then discusses how this guide might be incorporated into your clinical practice to better support the early stages of the client’s journey, and when reviewing hearing goals and new technologies. This workshop will: - Describe the principles underpinning the design and development of the NALguide and findings from the NAL review of hearing device technology. - Conduct an interactive hands-on session discovering how you might use the NALguide to address the hearing needs of your clients. You will be provided with the NALguide workbook, however you may also want to bring your computer to gain access to the website during this workshop. Activities may include scenario planning, role plays and case studies. | Dr Paola Incerti (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| 1030 - 1100 | Morning Tea | |
| 1100 - 1230 | Workshop 1: A common language to communicate in. The NALguide: hearing aid features explained (continued) | |
| 1230 - 1330 | Lunch | |
| 1230 - 1330 | Workshop 2 Arrival & Sign In | |
| 1330 - 1500 | Workshop 2: Facilitating empowerment and motivation in hearing healthcare Adult rehabilitation requires much more than the fitting of hearing aids. For successful client outcomes, a holistic approach is required, including preparing clients even before their hearing assessment. Recently, the concept of empowerment in hearing healthcare has emerged and has been defined, leading to the development of two measures: EmpAQ-5 with 5 items for clinical use, and EmpAQ-15 for research. Motivational tools, based on readiness and self-efficacy, have also been developed to increase motivational engagement for those with hearing aids. This interactive workshop will: - Describe the principles underpinning empowerment and motivation, and the current evidence base - Explain the empowerment measures and motivational tools, and offer hands-on use - Discuss how these measures and tools can be used in your everyday clinical practice | A/Prof Melanie Ferguson (Curtin School of Allied Health and Curtin enAble Institute) |
| 1500 - 1530 | Afternoon Tea | |
| 1530 - 1700 | Workshop 2: Facilitating empowerment and motivation in hearing healthcare (continued) |
Queensland Conference Program
The Queensland Conference Day will be held on Saturday 28 October 2023. All times are in AEST time (QLD time).
6 CPD Points
| Time (AEST) | Details | Speaker/s |
| 0815 - 0845 | Arrival & sign in | |
| 0845 - 0900 | Welcome and Introduction | |
| 0900 - 0945 | The management of sudden sensori-neural hearing loss Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is one of the few genuinely urgent conditions that we may see as Audiologists. Patients with SSNHL require appropriate treatment and management ASAP to optimise outcomes. We will review conditions that may be associated with SSNHL and discuss the role played by various medical services (Emergency departments, ENT, hyperbaric services, GPs), including referral pathways and common barriers to referral / treatment. We will also consider the role of the Audiologist, including how we can liaise with medical services to help optimise outcomes, counselling and long-term management for patients who have suffered a SSNHL. | Caroline Balke (Mater Health Services) |
| 0945 - 1045 | Targeting online help-seeking and decision-making for hearing healthcare Despite a high prevalence of hearing loss in Australia, and evidence that hearing aids are clinically effective, the uptake of hearing healthcare is low. There are numerous barriers including poor understanding of hearing loss and its impact, poor knowledge of both how to seek help and the range of hearing healthcare options, and limited decision-support options. Guided by theories of behaviour change and implementation science, this research aims to address these issues by co-developing an online, individualised decision support intervention (HearChoice) to facilitate informed decision-making about hearing healthcare, including non-device options. The overall aim is to empower adults with hearing loss by offering them informed choice and control to assist in decision-making throughout their hearing journey. This interactive presentation will discuss the research, the results to date, and also seek views from attendees on a range of relevant issues to optimise implementation into Australian hearing healthcare. | A/Prof Melanie Ferguson (Curtin School of Allied Health and Curtin enAble Institute) |
| 1045 - 1115 | Morning Tea | |
| 1115 - 1215 | Demystifying hearing aid features for Your clients. The NALguide: hearing aid features explained The lack of standardized information about hearing aid technologies presents a barrier to those who wish to understand and make informed choices about which hearing aid technologies or features they may benefit from. This presentation discusses the NAL review that was conducted in order to develop a standardised approach to naming of features across device models and manufacturers and inform the design of a guide of hearing technologies to help consumers understand and make informed choices about which features they may benefit from. The NALguide is intended to be a living document that evolves through successive updates, and expands as needed. | Dr Paola Incerti (National Acoustic Laboratories) |
| 1215 - 1315 | Solution Suites | |
| 1315 - 1415 | Lunch | |
| 1415 - 1500 | Innovation is differentiation In this engaging 45-minute talk, Christo Fourie, Audiologist and owner of Value Hearing, will share his journey of navigating through innovation to create differentiation within the audiology industry. Christo's approach, grounded in real-world trial and error, provides a relatable perspective on the challenges and rewards of innovation. The talk will delve into the essence of innovation, the crucial role of mindset, and the practical strategies to apply innovation in a traditionally slow-changing industry like audiology. Christo will share his personal experiences, triumphs, and setbacks, offering an honest look at how anyone can begin to innovate in their own practices. This talk is not about preaching from an expert standpoint, but sharing learnings from one professional's journey to another, making it a must-attend for audiologists looking to stand out through innovation. | Christo Fourie (Value Hearing & Tinnitus Solutions) |
| 1500 - 1545 | Setting up your audiology business for the future Audiologists are experts in holistic hearing care, but what can we do to ensure our patients are feeling engaged with us in 2023 and into the future? How do we connect to our patients and continue to do so along our patient’s journey? Wesley is the owner of Fidelity Hearing Centre and will discuss practical tools and thought-provoking ideas for your clinic. | Wesley Ong (Fidelity Hearing Care) |
| 1545 - 1615 | Afternoon Tea | |
| 1615 - 1700 | The assessment and management of vestibular problems in older adults The assessment, diagnosis and management of vestibular problems is complex. Because there are multiple systems which contribute to balance there is often more than one medical specialist involved in a case, and they will typically request assessments from multiple disciplines, such as radiology and physiotherapy, in addition to any audiological assessment. Patients who suffer from vestibular dysfunction may go a significant period of time before they are appropriately diagnosed and treated. As a result the impacts of vestibular dysfunction can affect the quality of life of both the patient, and those around them, for an extended period of time. The assessments most commonly administered by audiologists, and the management they may offer, will be reviewed. Benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV) will be an area of focus. BPPV is one of the most common types of vestibular dysfunction, and the prevalence increases with aging. | Corinne Edgeworth (Neurosensory) |
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