Starkey Sound Bites: Hearing Aids, Tinnitus, and Hearing Healthcare

Send us Fan Mail The biggest risk in hearing aid innovation is not dreaming too small, it’s shipping a promise that doesn’t survive real life. Starkey Sound Bites host, Dave Fabry, PhD, sits down with Dr. Maddie Olson, Starkey’s Manager of Clinical Product Research, to unpack how clinical research, verification, and product validation protect patients and providers when new hearing aid technology moves from the lab to the field. If you’ve ever wondered who makes sure a feature works on Tuesday afternoon in a noisy café, not just in a polished demo, this conversation is for you. We talk about what “validation” actually means: user requirements, regulatory expectations, safety and effectiveness, and proving meaningful benefit compared with what’s already on the market. Dr. Olson explains how Starkey recruits from a large participant database to find the right listeners for the right tests, and why trust and honest feedback are as critical as any instrument. We also explore how modern hearing aids have become full systems, including Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone app performance, and the growing need to consider the provider workflow, not just the signal processing. The conversation expands into hearing health and whole health, including balance, falls, and wellness research, plus how questionnaires can help connect hearing loss with outcomes like social isolation and depression. For clinicians, we dig into practical measures you can use now: APHAB, DOSO, Hearing Handicap Inventory, and QuickSIN for speech in noise. Dr. Olson also breaks down ecological momentary assessment and hearing aid data logging as tools to reduce recall bias and fine-tune fittings based on what patients actually experience, moment by moment. If this helped you think differently about audiology, clinical research, or hearing aid outcomes, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more hearing care pros can find it.

Send us Fan Mail Auracast for Hearing Aids: What It Means for the Future Chief Hearing Health Officer Dr. Dave Fabry sits down with Dr. Heike Heuermann, Starkey’s Vice President of Product Integration, to explore the transformational impact of Auracast™ assistant and Google Fast Pair™ on hearing technology. With more than two decades of experience across hearing science, engineering, systems design, and product management, Dr. Heuermann brings a unique holistic perspective on how cutting‑edge tech can reconnect people to the world around them. Together, Dave and Heike dive into: – How Auracast™ assistant works — Learn how this next‑generation broadcast audio technology allows a single sound source, like a TV, classroom, or place of worship, to stream high‑quality audio directly to multiple listeners at once. No accessories, no pairing hassles. – The end of pairing frustration — Heike explains how Google Fast Pair dramatically simplifies setup for Android users, creating seamless, automatic connectivity across phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, and more. If you’re curious about where hearing technology is heading, especially around connectivity, accessibility, and audio personalization, this episode is packed with insights.

Reality TV star Gerry Turner gets real about hearing loss. After he proudly wore hearing aids while looking for love on national television, Turner says no one should be embarrassed to wear them. In this episode, he talks about how hearing aids have positively impacted his life and urges others with hearing loss to stop letting stigma get in the way of being connected to the ones they love. Link to transcript

At Starkey, our mission is to serve our customers better than anyone else. Our team answers 2,000 calls a day within five seconds. Those calls are answered by a live voice, and our operators know most of our customers by name. In this episode, Starkey’s Chief Customer Officer Chris Van Guilder explains why these statistics are so important for the success of our business, and why it’s important for hearing care providers to make customer service a priority for their patients. Link to full transcript

Rockstar legend Alice Cooper is back on tour and not letting hearing loss get in his way. He talks with Dave about how hearing loss is an unfortunate reality for many professional musicians — particularly rockers from his generation — and shares stories from his long and storied career, including working with Johnny Depp and Paul McCartney. A proud wearer of “clearing aids,” Alice encourages young musicians to put their hearing first and not let the stigma of hearing aids and hearing protection be a barrier to better hearing health. To learn more about Starkey hearing aids, visit Starkey.com Link to full transcript

As up-and-coming NASCAR driver William Sawalich prepares for his first Xfinity race, he sits down with Dave and his dad, Brandon, to talk about his racing career and why he’s passionate about hearing protection, especially at his young age. It’s a loud sport, and as we observe Protect Your Hearing Month this October, we hope this episode offers motivation to make hearing protection a priority. To learn more about Starkey’s industry-leading hearing protection product, SoundGear, visit SoundGear.com. Link to full transcript.

Starkey’s latest hearing technology has arrived! Chief Technology Officer and EVP of Engineering Achin Bhowmik, Ph.D., sits down with Dave to share what excites him most about Edge AI. The highlights include: 30% more accuracy at identifying speech, 6 dB additional reduction in low-level noise, and 100 times the processing power, all while maintaining Starkey’s industry-leading 51 hours of battery life. Tune in for a deep dive that explains why this technology gives patients and professionals the edge they've been looking for. To learn more about Edge AI, visit StarkeyPro.com Link to full transcript

Research shows people with mild hearing loss are three times more likely to have a history of falling than peers with normal hearing. In this episode, during National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Dave chats with Dr. Patricia Gaffney, an audiologist with a specialty in vestibular diagnostics and treatment. They talk about emerging research, as well as the important role hearing professionals can play in helping their patients prevent falls. As the only hearing aid manufacturer with fall detection and alerts built into our hearing aids, this is a topic we are passionate about. To learn more about these features in Starkey hearing aids, watch this video on the Starkey YouTube page. Link to full transcript

Loud noises are part of the job for first responders, but protecting their hearing is tricky because they must always maintain situational awareness. In this episode, a 40-year law enforcement veteran talks about the importance of hearing protection, and how SoundGear has been a game changer for the Arizona State University police department. To learn more about SoundGear, visit www.SoundGear.com. Link to full transcript

As Starkey’s R&D team celebrates nearly 300 years of collective work experience in the field of artificial intelligence, Dave sits down with Starkey’s Vice President of Advanced Development, Amit Shahar. They talk about Starkey’s journey to becoming the industry-leader in AI and DNN, including the strategic decision to establish a global R&D presence, with key operations in Tel Aviv, Israel. They also chat about their visions and predictions for the future of hearing aids. If you love a conversation that goes deep into the weeds on technology and how it’s developed, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. To learn more about the latest in Starkey’s hearing technology, visit StarkeyPro.com. Link to full transcript.

In this episode, we turn the tables on our host, Dave Fabry. For the first time, Dr. Fabry finds himself on the other side of the Sound Bites microphone, to take our listeners on a deep dive into Starkey’s industry-leading hearing technology. From artificial intelligence (AI) to deep neural networks (DNN), learn how this technology is making life better for patients and how hearing professionals can take small steps toward implementing it into their practices. Hearing Matters host Doug Beck guest hosts this special episode of Sound Bites. To learn more about the latest in Starkey’s hearing technology, visit starkeypro.com Link to full transcript.

Three up-and-coming hearing healthcare professionals share their thoughts on the future of the industry and what excites them the most about it. Recorded during Starkey University week on the Starkey campus, Dave talks with Andrew Setrum, Janna Hines Orr, Hailey Kingsbury and Starkey’s own Cassie Billiet. We encourage hearing healthcare professionals of any age to take a listen and be reminded about what inspired you to get involved in this industry. You can also learn about more Starkey learning opportunities at StarkeyPro.com. Link to full transcript.

Dr. Sheryl Figliano shares easy, yet powerful, ways for hearing health providers to improve patient experiences and drive better business outcomes. One of her tips was a lightbulb moment for many private practitioners attending Starkey’s CEO Circle earlier this year. In this episode, Dave gets the inside scoop, as well as her thoughts on helping patients get on board with new technology, including artificial intelligence in hearing aids.

In this summer rerun of one of our more popular episodes, Dave interviews Dr. Seth Dobrin, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI) and a hearing aid user. They discuss Dr. Dobrin's journey to getting hearing aids, the stigma associated with hearing loss, and the positive impact that hearing aids have had on his life. They also delve into the topic of AI, including the potential benefits and challenges it presents. Dr. Dobrin emphasizes the importance of responsible AI and human-centric design, particularly in the context of healthcare and the workforce. He predicts that AI will create more jobs in the future. Dr. Dobrin also shares his wishes for the future of hearing aids, including seamless translation capabilities and the integration of health monitoring features. Link to full transcript.

In this special episode, we're celebrating a big milestone. Starkey President and CEO Brandon Sawalich is marking 30 years in the hearing industry this month. To commemorate the anniversary, Dave asked Brandon 30 questions—one for each year he's dedicated to this field. Brandon shares insights from his experience across various roles within Starkey, all of which have given him a comprehensive understanding of the industry. They also chat about some groundbreaking Starkey moments. Under Brandon’s leadership, Starkey pioneered the incorporation of integrated sensors and was the first to utilize artificial intelligence and health and wellness technology in hearing health products. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Link to full transcript.

World-renowned tinnitus research scientist Dr. James Henry shares key insights from decades of testing and validating methods for evaluation and management. His work at the Veterans Health Administration has played a pivotal role in identifying tinnitus relief for veterans, which is the number one service-related disability. Listen in as Dr. Henry offers practical tips for anyone suffering from tinnitus and his thoughts on what the future of treatment may hold. To learn more about Starkey’s tinnitus treatment options, go to www.StarkeyPro.com Link to full episode transcript here.

Let’s dive into the world of fitting formulas! In this episode, Dave chats with Dr. Andrea Hannan Dawkes, a Starkey expert who frequently trains professionals on best practices. They discuss how fitting formulas have changed over the years, why they’re important for patient satisfaction, proprietary fitting formulas, and the benefits of Starkey’s own Pro Fit fitting software. Hope you enjoy! Link to the full episode transcript here.

In this episode of the SoundBites podcast, host Dave Fabry compiles answers from various guests to three personal questions about hearing. The first question asks what sound the guests would miss the most if they couldn't hear their best. Answers range from the sound of heels clicking on tile to children's laughter and the music of family. The second question asks for memorable moments or events where sound played a key role, with responses including performing on stage, hearing the bugling of an elk, and the sound of birds in the morning. The final question asks about the guests' least favorite sound, with answers including people brushing their teeth, a child's shriek, and the screeching of subway wheels. The episode also promotes Starkey's Best Sound Ever contest, where people can vote for the best sound in the world. Link to the episode transcript here.

Join us for the continuation of our insightful conversation with Dr. Gyl Kasewurm, a seasoned audiologist and business owner with over 30 years of experience. Dr. Kasewurm shares her wealth of knowledge on all things audiology and business, discussing the evolution of technology, patient care, and key performance indicators (KPIs) essential for building a successful practice. In the latest Sound Bites podcast, Dr. Kasewurm and Dr. Dave Fabry delve into the significance of KPIs beyond just help rate, exploring how small changes in business strategies can yield significant results. They emphasize the importance of reframing trial periods for hearing aids to ensure patients are committed and invested in their treatment journey from the start. Moreover, they discuss the shifting landscape of hearing healthcare, especially with the booming boomer generation becoming more proactive about their hearing health. Dr. Kasewurm reflects on her transition into a new phase of her career and the ongoing joy she finds in helping others and staying connected to her passion. Whether you're a seasoned audiologist or a business owner looking to enhance your practice, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tips to navigate the dynamic intersection of audiology and business. Link to full transcript here.

In this episode of Starkey SoundBites, Dr. Dave Fabry interviews Dr. Gyl Kasewurm, a renowned audiologist and small business owner. They discuss the challenges of running a small business in the hearing care industry and the importance of providing excellent patient care. Dr. Kasewurm shares her experiences and insights on building a successful practice, including the need to focus on patient satisfaction and the importance of measuring outcomes. Dr. Gyl emphasizes the value of technology in improving patient outcomes and the need for practitioners to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. She advises practitioners to focus on a few key manufacturers to become experts in their technology and to carefully manage costs to ensure profitability. The episode concludes with a teaser for the second part of the interview, where they will continue the discussion on business strategies and best practices. Link to full transcript