Audiotech Healthcare Corp.'s Idaho Falls clinic, in response to local demand, is expanding its range of services to include new pediatric audiology care effective immediately.
The company's U.S. operating subsidiary recently hired Kim Briggs as a part-time pediatric audiologist. To date, more than 60 children have been assessed at the clinic with referrals coming from three hospitals in the region. It is also expected that Ms. Briggs's role will be expanded to include various hearing and balance tests at the new Idaho Falls hearing and balance centre when it opens in the spring of 2005.
In conjunction with this expansion into pediatric audiology, Audiotech will be taking delivery of approximately $26,000 in new specialized equipment in mid-November, 2004. This equipment purchase is part of the capital budget for the recently announced hearing and balance centre.
A total of four hospitals in the region have now agreed to refer pediatric patients, including newborns, to the Idaho Falls clinic. Upon installation of the new equipment later this month, the clinic will become the only to offer ABR diagnostic testing in the region. Patients will no longer have to travel hours away to Salt Lake City, Utah, for testing. Management is confident that this will be one of many agreements with area hospitals for expanded referrals and diagnostic testing as a result of the opening of the new hearing and balance centre.
The company is also pleased to report that construction of the new hearing and balance centre in Idaho Falls remains on schedule and on budget. Additional updates will be released as major construction milestones are achieved or as new agreements for patient referrals are finalized.