Audiotech Healthcare Corp. has opened its new state-of-the-art hearing and balance clinic in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to facilitate further expansion of its U.S. operations.
The construction of the facility was completed ahead of schedule and on budget.
The new clinic is located in a medical complex adjacent to the primary regional hospital in Idaho Falls. Audiotech's existing clinic in Idaho Falls is being relocated to the new facility. The new hearing and balance centre will allow the company's U.S. division to expand the range of services it offers to the community. In addition, the new location is expected to result in a substantial increase in referrals from physicians at the regional hospital, and to be more convenient for existing and new patients. It is expected that after a brief transition and start-up period, the new hearing and balance centre will result in a significant increase in U.S. revenues.
The company will be posting a picture of the new facility on its website shortly at www.audiotech.org.
Commenting on the opening of the new hearing and balance centre, Dr. Gerry Mill, PhD, audiologist and chief U.S. operations manager, said: "We are very excited about this project. We now have the most advanced hearing and balance care clinic in eastern Idaho. It will serve as a regional referral centre for eastern Idaho, western Wyoming and southwest Montana, and as the springboard for the continued expansion of our U.S. operations."
Based on the current enthusiasm of the medical community for the new Idaho Falls hearing and balance centre, management is confident that this new clinic model will prove not only to be a great success, but that it will serve as a template for the start-up of similar clinics in other key markets in the northwest United States. Accordingly, potential locations for future clinics are currently under consideration. Dr. Mill recently commented: "We talk about the greying of America and how important that is to the future of the hearing care business. Hardly ever mentioned, however, is the incidence of balance disorders in the older population. It is a very significant problem and probably exceeds hearing loss in total numbers. Many individuals who will be hearing-impaired in their retirement years will also be challenged with balance disorders, yet they are being ignored by conventional hearing care clinics. Our new hearing and balance centres will be there to assist an aging population of patients with both hearing and balance problems. In addition, we will be well positioned to become a key referral centre for the medical community as a whole which will be challenged to find economical solutions to provide a high standard of care."