Newsletter Pennsylvania Ear Institute Celebrates 15th Anniversary On November 19, 2019, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) officially celebrated its 15 year anniversary. On November 7, PEI celebrated this milestone with an event hosted by Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of PEI. Since its opening on November 19, 2004, PEI has enjoyed growth in space, faculty, students and patients.
Salus University president, Dr. Michael Mittelman, congratulated PEI faculty, staff and students for their outstanding patient care over the past 15 years as well as the University’s Osborne College of Audiology for their successful program over the last 20 years. “This is a testament to the great audiology program, clinic and services provided by Salus University,” said Dr. Mittelman.
PEI expanded its original area in February 2008 and renovated that space in the fall of 2014 to help ensure patients are offered the best clinical facility for their hearing and balance needs. PEI offers many specialty services, including Auditory Processing evaluations, Cochlear Implant care, Falls Risk assessment, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis management and Vestibular Rehabilitation. In 2017, PEI installed new state-of-the-art equipment allowing for more advanced hearing evaluations and more comprehensive vestibular evaluations. In October of this year, PEI opened a satellite office at The Eye Institute’s Oak Lane facility. The event marked the accomplishments since the opening of the clinic and also served to thank those who contributed to its success. Dr. Bondurant thanked all who attended and cited the growth enjoyed by the clinical facility since its opening and most notably in the past year with the increase in patient visits. “We wouldn’t be here without the support of our staff, faculty, students and patients and I wanted to acknowledge this with a thank you celebration,” she said.
Attendees enjoyed appetizers, wine, cupcakes and a sheet cake decorated for the 15th Anniversary, while mingling among colleagues, students, faculty, alumni, patients and friends.
To schedule an appointment at the Pennsylvania Ear Institute call 215.780.3180 or visit SalusUhealth.com/PEI
PEI Loaner Hearing Aid Program Keeps Kids Connected to Their World PEI has been Hailey’s durable goods provider for the past couple of years. Pham contacted Lindsay Bondurant, PhD, PEI director. According to Dr. Bondurant, any child who is an established patient at PEI who has a gap in their amplification system – due to equipment being sent out for repairs, delays in insurance approval for new orders or for equipment that has been lost – is eligible for a loaner device.
When ”Roger Hot Sauce” went down, five-year-old Hailey Tran, her mom Phung Pham and dad Vu Tran were worried. Fortunately, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) of Salus University had “Roger Donut” available and ready to step in. Hailey was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, a type of hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or sensory organ – the cochlea and associated structures – or the vestibulocochlear nerve. It is generally permanent and can be mild, moderate, severe, profound or total.
Any family who thinks their child might be in need of loaner hearing aids or transmitters can contact PEI for an appointment with one of the Institute’s pediatric audiologists to discuss the child’s individual needs.
“This devotion to consistent auditory access has helped Hailey blossom into the bright, talkative, funny young lady that she is,” said Dr. Bondurant. “We love her at PEI. Our students get such a kick out of seeing how spunky “This allows children with hearing loss she is, and I love that they’re getting to have continuous, full-time access an opportunity to work with a family to amplification, which is critical who is fully committed to their child’s for language learning in addition to success with hearing aids.” social and academic success,” said And, that love comes right back from Dr. Bondurant. Hailey’s family. PEI had the replacement FM system “Dr. Bondurant is just so great and – which Hailey promptly named Hailey loves her. And, the fact that Roger Donut. She was due for a new they’re always so accommodating transmitter anyway, and the loaner at PEI, they have loaners readily Roger Donut, whose regular gig at available, I can’t say enough about PEI is as a training device used in class by Dr. Rebecca Blaha, PEI’s lead that,” said Pham. “I’m PEI’s No. 1 supporter. It’s been such a great audiologist, would be pressed into service for a good three weeks before experience. They’ve done so much for Hailey that words can’t express Hailey’s new device arrived, which at my gratitude.” this point doesn’t yet have a name.
“Hailey is what I like to callll a ‘super user’ of hearing aids and FM systems. nt about She’s incredibly consistent wearing her hearing aids full time – Because of that, Hailey has been she loves them – and her family and wearing hearing aids since she was school have been fully onboard nboard with four months old. And, when she the use of the FM system as well,” said started school, her teachers were able Dr. Bondurant. “We’ve been en fortunate to communicate directly with her to provide Hailey with loaners ners when through an FM transmitter – brand her devices have been sent nt out for name Roger – directly connected to repair, so that she can maintain aintain fullHailey’s hearing aids. time use and stay connected cted with the world around her.” But sometimes the technology breaks down or gets worn out. And, when Currently, PEI has six loaner ner hearing Roger Hot Sauce – Hailey likes to aids available. A portion off the treat the devices as a person and give funds raised from the University’s versity’s them a name – went on the fritz with annual “Looking Out for Kids” charity a broken lanyard, her mother wasn’t ed on Nov. fundraiser – which occured sure where to turn. ia City 2 at the Hilton Philadelphia at number Avenue - will increase that “It’s a very sensitive time for my to an additional 10 loanerr hearing daughter. She’s absorbing everything ters specific aids and two FM transmitters and I don’t want her to go a day to pediatrics. without her hearing aids,” said her mom. “Especially when she’s in school.”
Hailey holding Roger Hot Sauce.