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Socializing and democratising hearing health products and services

According to the World Health Organization there is one (1) audiologists for every twenty-thousand people in developed countries, yet only one for every two(2) to six(6)million in developing countries. It is the dearth of hearing professionals which is the first roadblock for a consumer to get any hearing loss detected. A social business is one whose goal is to not only scale their activity but also scale and replicate their social, health, economic or educational outcomes and impacts. Often a social business will develop new business models and new distribution channels in order accomplish its goals. This presentation will look at a) New distribution channels, such as micro-entrepreneurs and micro-finance institutions b) What role can and do these micro-entrepreneurs play in their community? c) What successes have they had with other health products and services? d) How do they pay to purchase their products? e) What is micro-credit and micro-consignment models? f) Where are these micro-entrepreneur and micro-micro-finance organization working g) What impact can they have? h) How do they make money and how much do they require per day in order to provide hearing health products and services? I) How does mobile hearing health fit in to this program? j) What is mobile money? k) What role can professional audiologists and or universities play in this new distribution channel. l) What are the economic, health educational outcomes and impacts desired goals.

• What is a social business
• New Distribution models for hearing health
• What is a micro-credit model and micro-consignment one

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Howard Weinstein (Primary Presenter), Solar Ear, howard@solarear.org;
Social entrepreneur who has started several social businesses by people with a disability in 8 countries, the best known being Solar Ear. Solar Ear was awarded the American Academy of Audiology Humanitarian Award as well as over a dozen health, innovation, technology and empowerment awards. Howard has also run several for profit businesses. His two greatest mentors have been 2 young adults with Down's Syndrome.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.