Audiologists from around Australia learned new skills to put into clinical practice at Audiology Australia’s biennial event, The Sound Exchange ’24 in Melbourne this week.
The Sound Exchange ‘24, the most sold-out iteration of the event in history, kicked off at the Pullman Melbourne Albert Park with optional pre-conference workshops on Sunday 26 May and ends today, Tuesday 28 May. An industry expo featuring 25 exhibitors was also the largest exhibition in the history of The Sound Exchange.
Audiology Australia (AudA) president Dr Barbra Timmer PhD said that overall, more than 600 people attended including delegates, sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, manufacturers who set up work stations in the masterclass streams and audiologist student volunteers.
“The Sound Exchange is wonderful because it’s a series of masterclasses where delegates get to, as a team of audiologists, delve deep into topics,” she said. “The beauty of The Sound Exchange is that it provides hands-on, interactive clinical advice and tips that people can take back to their clinics and put into practise.”
Five masterclass streams of immersive two-day workshops, lectures and panel sessions aimed to equip attendees with new knowledge and skills. Timmer said the topics were chosen after being identified as ‘hot topics’ from member feedback.
The masterclass themes were the management of chronic conductive hearing loss in adults; the 5-step plan for holistic hearing rehabilitation; community paediatrics – behavioural assessment of children aged eight months to six years; vestibular boot camp; and cochlear implants, maximising auditory potential across the lifespan.
Attending her first AudA conference as its new CEO Ms Leanne Emerson said it was a fantastic turnout.
“The Sound Exchange has a strong practical focus. Delegates are participating in workshops rather than lectures and getting to touch, feel, experience some of the skills that our presenters are taking them through so hopefully they will go away with something very practical they can take back to their businesses,” she said.
“Learning is done best where people have an experience of it. Immersive-style learning tends to ‘stick’ to be more enduring so that means participants go away with some concrete skills they can apply to their practise.
“We’ve also had terrific support for the expo from companies and manufacturers, providing important touchpoints on products and services. We are truly appreciative of their support and the support of our sponsors.”
AudA 2025 conference in Adelaide
At a welcome reception Monday evening, Emerson announced that AudA’s national conference in 2025 would be in Adelaide from 1-4 April 2025.
She also thanked staff, volunteers, stream leads and delegates for bringing the event together and thanked the event’s platinum sponsor Cochlear, gold partner Phonak and silver partners Starkey and Unitron.
Members of the Ethics Review Committee (ERC) which hear and investigate complaints for AudA and the Australian College of Audiology incorporating Hearing Aid Audiology Society of Australia attended to increase awareness among practitioners of the important role the committee plays and how it can help manage complaints and concerns. The ERC has guidance and advice on its website to help clinicians resolve and understand issues including answers to questions they are often asked.
As it is National Reconciliation Week, AudA staff and volunteers wore T-shirts at the event featuring artwork from Indigenous artist Bitja (Dixon Patten) who AudA commissioned to create art for its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan. The plan aims to elevate awareness about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hearing health and improve access to culturally inclusive and appropriate hearing services.
After The Sound Exchange, delegates can enjoy more than five hours of online content of presentations by speakers and partners for the next month. The online content will mean that delegates who also attended a Sunday pre-conference workshop will have been able to access more than 20 hours of CPD.
Hearing Practitioner Australia will give more indepth coverage of the event in its upcoming inaugural hard copy editions of the magazine, out soon. Don’t forget to subscribe!
