Vancouver, WA & Boise, ID — April 2025 — In response to a worsening national shortage of audiologists, Audigy a leader in ENT and Private Practice growth, has formed a strategic partnership with Auris Practice Solutions, creators of MaestroAuD™, a proprietary in-clinic and virtual model focused in audiology best practices. remote audiology model. This partnership aims to deliver a sustainable, scalable solution for ENT and private audiology practices across the country—designed to increase patient care capacity and drive clinical profitability.
THE WORKFORCE CRISIS: A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN
ENT and audiology practices are facing mounting pressure:
- Only ~760 audiologists enter the workforce annually, while ~560 exit, resulting in a net increase of just 200 clinicians each year.
- Demand for audiology services is growing 2.5x faster than the current graduate output.
- Less than 30% of audiology graduates pursue work in ENT or private audiology practices.
- Many ENT clinics operate their audiology departments at a breakeven or loss, due to rising hearing aid costs, declining reimbursements, and overburdened staff.
- Audiologists are frequently asked to perform non-revenue-generating tasks like warranty management, inventory tracking, and patient recalls—further limiting their productivity.
The current shortage places a significant burden on clinic teams, stretching resources and adding stress. It’s a challenge that is halting growth and compromising care delivery in practices nationwide.
“This is a national issue. Practices tell us every day that they’re struggling to find and retain audiologists. For many, it’s brought growth to a halt,” said Kim Gilmore, President of Audigy. “This solution is past due — and now, with MaestroAuD™, ENT and audiology clinics finally have the scalable support they need.”
THE SOLUTION: MAESTROAUD™
MaestroAuD™, developed by Auris Practice Solutions, is a proprietary in-clinic and virtual model focused in audiology best practices. that pairs licensed audiologists from across the country with ENT and audiology practices via secure technology. Unlike traditional telehealth, patients still visit the clinic in person — only the audiologist works remotely. The model is supported by trained onsite medical assistants and audiology technicians to ensure a seamless patient experience.
Auris created MaestroAuD™ to directly address this workforce challenge—offering flexible remote and part-time opportunities for audiologists, while enabling in-clinic providers to practice at the top of their license. Now, through this new partnership with Audigy, MaestroAuD™ will expand its reach to more practices and professionals nationwide.
Key features include:
- 100% of the audiologist’s time is revenue-generating
- No recruitment burden or relocation costs for the practice
- Comprehensive remote support for diagnostic testing and hearing aid services
- Seamless integration with the ENT or audiology clinic’s existing EMR and workflow
- 4–6 week onboarding with full clinical and operational support
“MaestroAuD™ was designed to solve the capacity ceiling ENT and audiology practices have hit across the country,” said J. Connon Samuel, CEO and Co-Founder of Auris Practice Solutions. “We’ve combined high-caliber clinical care with a delivery model that is scalable, efficient, and financially sustainable.”
“We built MaestroAuD™ to support audiologists working at the top of their license — and ENT and audiology practices that need real solutions, not temporary fixes,” added Jacquie Elcox, President and Co-Founder of Auris. “This partnership with Audigy allows us to bring that support to the practices who need it most, right now.”
THE FUTURE OF AUDIOLOGY CARE
Audigy and Auris Practice Solutions bring complementary strengths to this partnership. Together, they are addressing not just the symptoms of the workforce crisis — but its root causes — through innovation, strategic implementation, and long-term practice support.
“We’re not just reacting to a shortage — we’re reshaping how audiology is delivered at scale,” said Gilmore. “ENT and private practices alike will finally have the tools to grow, even when the workforce can’t.”
ABOUT AUDIGY
Audigy provides business, technology, and growth solutions to ENT, otology and private audiology practices. With deep industry expertise and a national network, Audigy helps providers build sustainable, scalable, and patient-centered care models.
ABOUT AURIS PRACTICE SOLUTIONS
Auris Practice Solutions partners with ENT and audiology clinics to modernize audiology delivery through hybrid remote staffing, clinical strategy, and operational excellence. Their flagship solution, MaestroAuD™, enables ENT and audiology practices to access top-tier audiologists without sacrificing patient outcomes or financial performance.