Industry News
CASLPO Advances Leadership Succession Plan and Congratulates Brian O’Riordan on His Upcoming Retirement
Brian O’Riordan, who has been CASLPO’s Registrar and CEO for the last 15 years will retire on January 17th, 2025. “We want to extend our deepest gratitude to Brian for his exceptional 15 years of service with the College,” said Pam Millet, CASLPO’s Board Chair and Associate Professor at York University. “Brian has played a pivotal role in shaping CASLPO’s success, and his leadership will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his life.” Brian’s knowledge, experience, humour and leadership will be missed by the many staff, Board members, CASLPO registrants and system partners who have worked with him.
Margaret Drent announced as CASLPO’s New Registrar
On May 15, 2024, CASLPO announced that Margaret Drent will succeed Brian O’Riordan as Registrar and CEO.
Margaret Drent brings a considerable background in professional regulation. Since October of 2022 she has been the Deputy Registrar of CASLPO, with oversight for Registration, Quality Assurance and Professional Practice. She has also provided regular reports to the CASLPO Board of Directors on the implementation of the Strategic Plan and progress in achieving Key Performance Indicators. With the Registrar, she has provided oversight for the College’s submissions to the Ministry of Health on the College Performance Measurement Framework (CPMF).
Margaret has worked with system partners, including the Office of the Ontario Fairness Commissioner, Ontario graduate programs in audiology and speech-language pathology, regulatory bodies for the two professions in other provinces, liaison activities with the Health Disciplines of Ontario Tribunal Pilot, and Advisory Committees for Communication Disorder Programs at Durham and Georgian colleges. Previously in her time at CASLPO, Margaret was Acting Director of Professional Conduct, General Counsel and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer and Special Advisor, Innovation and Collaboration. From 2012 to 2020, she was Policy Counsel at the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) and was a Policy Analyst for one year at the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC), reporting to the Minister of Health.
Margaret currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR). Earlier in her career, Margaret held roles at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. Margaret is a bilingual lawyer with degrees in civil and common law from McGill University and holds an M.A. from York University and a B.A. (High Distinction) from Trinity College at the University of Toronto.
Margaret looks forward to continuing to work in the public interest and to providing assistance and guidance for the regulation of CASLPO’s 5000 registrants. She also looks forward to providing leadership to CASLPO’s outstanding staff and working with the College’s 18-member Board of Directors. We all look forward to working with Margaret in her new role.
CASLPO Announces New Deputy Registrar
Samidha Joglekar will be CASLPO’s next Deputy Registrar. Samidha is a bilingual audiologist and the first audiologist to serve in the role of Deputy Registrar since the College’s founding in 1994. She will take on this important role in January 2025 when Margaret Drent transitions to the role of Registrar and CEO.
Samidha came upon the field of audiology when she took a pause from her academic interests to study North Indian Classical music on scholarships she received. While volunteering for an NGO that worked with hard of hearing children, she realized that becoming an audiologist would allow her to combine her interests in the sciences, music and in working with people as a health professional. As an audiologist, Samidha held clinical and research roles at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, and GN ReSound Canada. She is a co-author on several research publications, including studies on musical rehabilitation in adult cochlear implant recipients and the role of preoperative steroids for hearing preservation in cochlear implantation. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours degree from McMaster University and a Master of Clinical Science in Audiology degree from Western University.
Since joining as CASLPO staff in April 2017, Samidha has served as Audiology Advisor, Manager of Mentorship, and Advisor for the Quality Assurance Program. Her accomplishments have included transitioning CASLPO’s Mentorship Program to an online platform and leading projects to revise and develop standards of practice for both audiologists and speech-language pathologists. As the sole audiologist staff member at CASLPO, Samidha has played an important role in advising Ontario audiologists, College staff, and members of the public about the profession.
Samidha is known for her collaborative and supportive approach. Her excellent communication skills and innovative, strategic mindset have enabled her to effectively support CASLPO registrants and the College’s Quality Assurance, Registration, and Practice Advisory Committees. Samidha looks forward to continuing in this capacity in her new role!
Envoy Medical Receives FDA Approval to Initiate Pivotal Clinical Study for Fully Implanted Acclaim® Cochlear Implant
November 4, 2024
WHITE BEAR LAKE, MINNESOTA — Envoy Medical®, Inc. (NASDAQ: “COCH”), a hearing health company specializing in fully implanted hearing systems, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application for a pivotal study of the Acclaim® Fully Implanted Cochlear Implant.
The Acclaim® technology includes an implanted sensor that leverages the ear’s natural anatomy to capture sound, distinguishing it from other cochlear implants currently available.
“Receiving FDA approval to initiate this pivotal study marks a significant milestone in our efforts to bring this breakthrough hearing device to more people with severe to profound hearing loss. Currently, it is estimated that roughly 95% of patients with significant hearing loss who could benefit from a cochlear implant have not received one. We believe the differences in our device’s design provide an opportunity to pursue this important therapy in a more discrete manner and offer candidates a welcomed new option that may get more patients to embrace the potential benefits of a cochlear implant.”
–Brent Lucas, CEO of Envoy Medical
Envoy Medical intends to select leading cochlear implant institutions across the U.S. as investigational sites for the study and will release information on participating sites for interested patients as Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals are obtained.
“The excitement around the Acclaim® device is palpable, and we have been extremely humbled by the number of top-tier cochlear implant programs that want to participate in this study,” added Lucas. “While we are not able to select every site for this study, we believe that this excitement and significant interest across the country is a strong signal of our potential ability to penetrate the market should we be successful in gaining commercial approval.”
The FDA’s approval of the IDE application allows for a staged clinical study, enabling preliminary data collection on a subset of patients before expanding enrollment to the full cohort. As with any investigational device, approval of an IDE application does not guarantee that the study results will confirm the device’s safety and effectiveness or assure regulatory approval for market entry.
Lucas also remarked, “The last two weeks demonstrate our passionate commitment to innovation, competition, and change in the hearing industry. Last week marked the American Medical Association’s approval of new CPT codes for totally implantable active middle ear implants, which opens new opportunities for our already FDA-approved Esteem® device. This week, we are celebrating IDE approval to start a pivotal study for our investigational Acclaim® device. Two devices serving two patient populations, both moving the hearing industry forward. We are building a company that is positioning itself to be a market segment leader in the hearing industry. We are excited about what the future holds for Envoy Medical.”
*Interested readers can view a 2023 interview with company CEO, Brent Lucas discussing the company’s updates, including the Mayo Clinic clinical trial:
About the Fully Implanted Acclaim® Cochlear Implant
We believe the fully implanted Acclaim Cochlear Implant will be a first-of-its-kind cochlear implant. Envoy Medical’s fully implanted technology includes a sensor designed to leverage the natural anatomy of the ear instead of a microphone to capture sound.
The Acclaim is designed to address severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss that is not adequately addressed by hearing aids. The Acclaim is expected to be indicated for adults who have been deemed adequate candidates by a qualified physician.
The Acclaim Cochlear Implant received the Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019. We believe the Acclaim was the first hearing-focused device to receive Breakthrough Device Designation and may still be the only hearing focused medical technology to receive the designation.
CAUTION The fully implanted Acclaim Cochlear Implant is an investigational device. Limited by United States law to investigational use.
Important safety information for the Esteem can be found at: https://www.envoymedical.com/safety-information.
About the Esteem® Fully Implanted Active Middle Ear Implant (FI-AMEI)
The Esteem fully implanted active middle ear implant (FI-AMEI) is the only FDA-approved, fully implanted* hearing device for adults diagnosed with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss, allowing for 24/7 hearing capability using the ear’s natural anatomy. The Esteem FI-AMEI hearing implant is invisible, requires no externally worn components, and nothing is placed in the ear canal for it to function. Unlike hearing aids, it does not need to be put on or taken off, cannot be lost, and does not require cleaning. The Esteem FI-AMEI hearing implant offers true 24/7 hearing.
*Once activated, the external Esteem FI-AMEI Personal Programmer is not required for daily use.
Important safety information for the Esteem FI-AMEI can be found at: https://www.envoymedical.com/safety-information.
About Envoy Medical Corporation
Envoy Medical Corporation is a hearing health company focused on providing innovative technologies across the hearing loss spectrum. The company is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss through the development of implantable hearing devices.
October 3, 2024
To: All CASLPO Registrants (Please share with CASLPO colleagues)
We’re pleased to share our latest Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Report: Equity in Action. This report highlights our commitment to putting inclusive practices into action.
It details the steps CASLPO has taken to achieve goal #3 of our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan: to "embody and promote the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion."
Read CASLPO's 2023-2024 DEI Report here.
Key highlights:
- Registrant Demographic Data Collection: We’re improving our understanding of our registrants' diverse identities.
- Gender-Inclusive Language: We have adopted practices that respect and acknowledge all gender identities.
- Community Engagement: We are strengthening connections with diverse communities to better protect the public.
- Addressing Discrimination in Health Care: We expanded our web series to discuss different forms of discrimination within health care settings.
- DEI Self-Assessment Results: We’re evaluating our own practices to identify areas for improvement.
These initiatives aim to address areas where improvements can be achieved and acknowledges that discrimination and bias can have a real and significant impact on patient care.
We welcome your feedback.
You can find more information and related resources on the DEI section of our website. Please send your comments or questions to Preeya Singh, DEI Officer: dei@caslpo.com.
Brian O'Riordan
Registrar and CEO
“Equity in Action” is a report from the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) that highlights their efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the services offered by audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Ontario. This report is shared for information only, with permission from CASLPO. For any questions or requests regarding the report, such as distribution, adaptations, or republishing, please contact CASLPO directly. Unauthorized use of the report is strictly prohibited."
The Ida Institute and Learning Hall are closing down
Today, Demant's Hearing Aids business announces that the ongoing efforts within person-centered care will be fully integrated into the Group’s hearing aid brand activities. Hence, we are closing down the Ida Institute brand as well as the associated Ida Learning Hall.
We always strive to put the user and the customer at the center of everything we do, and therefore we will continue the commitment to person-centered care as the standard of care. Going forward, developments will be driven through our hearing aid brands and provide solutions and tools that together with our technology, supports Hearing Care Professionals in applying a person-centered care approach throughout the entire user journey.
We are grateful for the big and long-standing efforts of the Ida Institute, its employees, and the many partners to bring person-centered care to the field of hearing care. The work of the Institute has been instrumental in ensuring that clinicians have best practice available and that people with hearing loss receive the best possible care for their hearing needs. We are looking forward to continuing the journey under the new setup.
Please contact your usual local representative for any questions you might have. For further guidance on how to access materials, use of Ida badge etc. please see the FAQ below.
Frequently Asked Questions
For how long can I access Learning Hall and take courses?
The Ida Institute Learning Hall will remain available until end of January 2025. All courses will be accessible with the exception of the ‘Inspired by Ida’ courses.
Can I still get CEUs for courses I attend on Learning Hall?
Yes, for as long as the Ida Institute Learning Hall is open, CEUs can be obtained from your national accreditation body.
May we keep the Ida badge in our clinic? Yes
Where can I access Ida Institute tools and materials after the closure of Ida?
We kindly refer you to visit Idainstitute.com for tools and resources or please reach out to your usual local representative if you have any further requests