Med-El Advocates Online

Over the weekend there, 2 and 3 October, Med-El HQ in Innsbruck held a ZOOM conference for interested parties, called Advocates Online. As a Med-El HearPeers wearer of their RONDO2 and an ‘experienced user’, I signed up and tuned in.

I think since the restrictions of COVID-19, we’ve all become pretty much abreast with the technology necessary for the use of laptops to communicate via video link, and Zoom is just another one of those. Even I manage it, although I tend to end up with way too many windows open, before going through the whole ‘can you hear me/can you see me’ routine. I get there eventually though and this was the biggest number of attendees I’ve been involved with. Fifty-five at one point, from all corners of the globe.

Subtitles were available in lots of languages, but I managed better without, as they didn’t run synchronously. I believe the glitch was sorted out by the end of the first day but I hear well enough through my laptop speakers, thanks to my RONDO2. I just did without.

Throughout Day 1, we were given a tour of the offices and labs and ‘met’ some of the people involved in actually making our implants and processors. Was fun to read ‘and this is xx who made Caroline’s implant’ but I suspect it was probably more random names to pictures. Nice idea though.

There was a choice of workshop and I chose the one called ‘Ask Us Anything’… chiefly because I blinked and missed how to get to the other one called ‘Hearing Implant Surgeon for a Day’ and didn’t want to interrupt proceedings to get there. The one for questions was good though and my own query was answered fairly satisfactorily. It really made you feel involved. The first day lasted from 16:00 until 18:15.

 

Here's me not looking very attentive in the top row there.

I was a bit late logging into day two and left early as I wasn’t really up for more of it, but thoroughly enjoyed hearing about, and from, two huge advocates of Med-El: Vera (Russia and Canada) and Mary-Beth (USA). Strange to hear their voices indeed. I missed ‘meeting’ the CEO, but perhaps next time.

We have all since received a very handy .pdf with lots of tips on it. Basically, Med-El, rocks. All in all, a worthwhile experience and if I’m ever in Innsbruck, I will be knocking on the door for a face-to-face tour. 

Some handy youtube links