The Solution
Once Lett and his team knew what they wanted to do, it was a case of finding the right technology partner to provide a complete system, including high-quality video and audio on a stable platform. “It was important that clients experienced a consultation that was on par with a face-to-face conversation,” said Lett, “and we also needed to make sure the technology met practice guidelines and achieved positive healthcare outcomes.”
Triton Hearing’s IT provider recommended Cisco for the quality and speed of its meetings technology, as well as its ability to scale as the business grows and changes over time. Triton Hearing worked closely with Cisco to design a solution that allowed a client to arrive at their local clinic but have a full hearing assessment and discussion with our audiologist in Auckland. They would then purchase hearing aids or any other recommended products at the clinic.
Cisco’s state-of-the-art video conferencing solution was installed at Triton’s Timaru hearing clinic, located almost 160 kilometres from Christchurch, to trial the link between the client and audiologist. Its powerful HD cameras and superior audio experience made it ideal for clinical consultations, particularly for hearing impaired people who rely on clear audio and visual cues, such as lip reading. At the audiologist’s office in Auckland, the Cisco DX80 23-inch touchscreen was installed, selected for its ease of use and ability to connect with a PC or Mac to share content during the consultation.
A hearing nurse was also trained to manage the equipment and provide vital human interaction, including putting the hearing aid on and using a video otoscopy to look into the client’s ears. The information was then sent to the audiologist in real time, allowing them to assess the client’s hearing, talk to the client and make programming changes, just like a face-to-face appointment. “One of the most important parts of the brief to Cisco was that we wanted clients to feel like the audiologist was in the room the whole time,” said Lett.
