Thinking Globally, Acting Locally (Q4 2017)-Thinking Globally, Acting Locally (Q4 2017)

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally (Q4 2017) - Article

Pdf Summary

The Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF) has developed a community-based hearing healthcare model to provide access to primary ear and hearing care services for people with hearing loss in lower to middle-income countries. The model, known as the WFA (Wide Frequency Audibility) Fitting Method, focuses on four phases: patient identification and screening, the WFA Fitting Method hearing mission, aft ercare services, and mainstreaming opportunities. Through this model, the foundation aims to provide hearing instruments and custom ear molds to qualified individuals, while also offering ongoing care, support, and education to patients and their communities. The WFA Fitting Method is designed to be simple and sustainable, allowing local citizens to be trained and empowered to help their own communities. The SHF has trained over 1,000 people on the WFA method, which is currently used in 51 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The foundation collects data to monitor and evaluate the program, with high levels of satisfaction reported by patients who have been fitted with hearing devices using the WFA method. This community-based approach is seen as a supplementary alternative to addressing the global hearing healthcare problem, providing access and support to those who would otherwise have little to no access to hearing healthcare services.

Keywords

Starkey Hearing Foundation

community-based hearing healthcare

WFA Fitting Method

patient identification

aftercare services

hearing instruments

ongoing care

local citizens

program evaluation

access to healthcare services