Starkey Technology has an amazing Telehealth opportunity for people.
Amid the COVID‑19 pandemic, Starkey partnered with Google Cloud to launch Hearing Care Anywhere (TeleHear), enabling remote adjustments across all tiers of the Livio devices at the time. Livio, Livio AI, and Livio Edge AI, and through the Thrive app. Patients could request tweaks from home, send settings securely to providers, and have professionals send back refinements, all without stepping into a clinic and contaminating them with a virus!
TeleHear: Live Remote Programming (2023–Now)
Starkey evolved this with TeleHear, a synchronous (happening right away so patients could tell a difference as adjustments were being made) tele-audiology platform built into the My Starkey app, starting as of July 2023. Key features include:
- Live audio/video fitting sessions: Audiologists can view, guide, and adjust hearing aids in real time.
- In-situ audiometry & feedback cancellation: Integrated within remote sessions for first-fit completeness.
- High adoption: According to Starkey studies, 90% of patients find TeleHear as a suitable replacement for in-office fine-tuning; 88% of professionals report flexibility benefits.
Starkey’s Continuing Education Series and webinars confirm that tele-audiology isn’t just a fad; it’s a core part of care delivery. Starkey-owned clinics may be working on telehealth all the time; however, when we call around looking for telehealth providers in various States around the US, we are having trouble finding clinics and providers that are willing to offer telehealth.
Why It’s a Game-Changer
TeleHear allows patients, like those with mobility limits, remote areas, pandemics or even those living in crowed areas that can’t find parking, to receive professional care from anywhere. According to some audiology reports, 73% of patients say they will continue remote services post-pandemic.
Minor adjustments, historically accounting for ~30% of clinic visits, can now be handled remotely, saving time for both clinicians and patients, according to some internet data. Personally, we think this could be much higher.
Starkey Sessions complies with HIPAA and global data regulations, encrypted and professionally managed via Google Cloud’s infrastructure.
TeleHear integrates in-session audiometry and feedback tools, making remote fittings as robust and acceptable as in-person visits, not to mention easy to use, and for the parties (patient and provider) to work together.
Telecare providers realize that working online saves time and money, not just for the customer, but for the provider, who can offer services that are more affordable. Especially with the advent of AI, it helps the workflow be more efficient for the provider. This can reduce the overhead that needs to be accounted for in the brick-and-mortar clinics.
The Starkey Technology Backbone Reporting data:
- Cloud-Native Infrastructure
Partnership with Google Cloud ensures scalable, secure data exchange during telehealth sessions.
- Thrive & MyStarkey Apps
These user-friendly apps serve as patient portals for asynchronous help requests and live session initiation.
- Inspire and Pro Fit Software
Integrated on the provider’s side, enabling seamless session initiation and device configuration.
- Edge AI Chips
The latest Starkey hearing device lines support remote programming, AI-powered fitting modes, health tracking, fall alerts, even real-time translation and activity monitoring.
Starkey Telehealth in Today’s Context
- A Permanent Shift
The pandemic accelerated adoption, but users have shown sustained preference for remote care, highlighting a permanent change in hearing healthcare delivery at least by the providers and clinics that are progressing to accommodate the person with hearing loss.
- Global Accessibility
As a privately held, Minnesota‑based, global company, Starkey now supports telehealth connectivity across 100+ markets, thanks to their in‑app services. Go Gophers, Vikings, and Starkey.
- Future Horizons
AI enhancements aimed at automating screening, diagnostics, personalized adjustments, and even self-care triage are under continuous development. Watch this space! We are!
Starkey is Embracing the Future of Hearing Care
- Leveraging cloud and AI to bring hearing care into digital, on-demand formats.
- Empowering users to control their own adjustments, while retaining expert oversight.
- Reducing barriers to access, whether they’re related to geography, mobility, cost or scheduling.
- Maintaining rigorous clinical quality and data security.
In Summary, the Hearing Care Anywhere App
Starkey has pioneered a robust telehealth infrastructure that’s reshaping hearing health care. With secure, interactive, AI-enabled tools, they’re delivering healthcare that’s smarter, more efficient, and truly centered around the patient.
As live remote (synchronous) programming and tele-audiology become standard practices, Starkey is one of a few companies that are positioning hearing care for a future where digital convenience and clinical excellence go hand-in-hand. We are hopeful that “best” practices will be able to happen with remote fitting in the future.
Starkey Telehealth – How to Guide:
1. Register your hearing aids with your provider in their programming system:
- If you did not purchase from the provider you want to schedule telehealth with someone else, you would need to send your hearing aids to them for registration.
- If you know ahead of time that you are going to want telehealth, have your provider register your hearing aids with their system.
- If you are purchasing online, the provider you will be working with will register your aids in their system automatically.
2. The Invite:
- When your telehealth provider registers your aids into their system for Services, a 6‑digit invite code will be generated and sent to you via text. (valid for 3 days)
- If you are present, the provider may just give it to you.
3. Prepare your device(s):
- Ensure hearing aids are paired to a compatible smart device.
- Install and sign in to the My Starkey app.
- Confirm you are in a stable internet and can keep connected via Bluetooth
4. Enter the invite code:
- Open My Starkey → More → TeleHear → I have a code, or tap the hyperlink in the text message.
- Enter the 6-digit code, authorize access, and then the provider appears in your app.
5. Join the live session:
- At the scheduled time, open TeleHear → tap Start Session.
- Enable camera/microphone when prompted.
- During the call, you can speak, view adjustments, and monitor your hearing aids.
- Tap End Call to leave the session. It is that easy!
We look forward to seeing you on TeleHear someday. Check out our Starkey Hearing aids and join the fun.
