Author Archives: AU Bankaitis

About AU Bankaitis

A.U. Bankaitis, PhD is a clinical Audiologist with extensive clinical, research, and business experience within the hearing industry. She is Vice President of Oaktree Products, a multi-line distributor of audiology supplies and screening/diagnostic test equipment. Dr. Bankaitis created this blog to educate her colleagues and providers in the hearing health care industry on viable product solutions for their patients and/or clinical practice.

Cool New Specula offers Clear Advantage

Posted on April 28, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

The Welch Allyn LumiView Clear Specula is new and totally worth checking out. Why? The disposable specula are transparent, providing a much brighter field of view than the opaque specula we are all used to using. Since the otoscope light … Continue reading →

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Treating Excessive Ear Wax in a COVID-19 Environment – guest post by David J. Smriga, MA

Posted on March 3, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

Much to the disappointment of many in the world, humanity is still dealing with the impact COVID-19 is having on the way we live our lives.  As we continue to social distance and restrict our out-of-home activities to as little … Continue reading →

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My COVID Year – Kristi Mendoza, AuD

Posted on February 23, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

Do you remember the start of 2020? It was going to be the year of focus, the year of foundation, the year to burn the candle far into the night. Many of you probably purchased daytime planners or already has … Continue reading →

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Disinfectants: How to Make the Best Choices for Your Clinical Practice

Posted on January 27, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

Disinfectants are chemicals designed to kill microorganisms residing on non-living surfaces. These products must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are required to display the designated EPA-Registration Number on the product label. The main ingredient found in … Continue reading →

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Finally, the Wait is Over! Your Wipes are Here

Posted on January 6, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

As stock of infection control supplies stabilize, the demand for some key products continues to outpace supply. For example, COVID-19 disrupted manufacturing operations, creating large-scale bottlenecks in the production of large AudioWipes™ canisters throughout most of 2020. While the situation … Continue reading →

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YOU (among other things) are Essential…

Posted on January 4, 2021 by AU Bankaitis

The year 2020 catapulted infection control to the forefront of clinical practice. The COVID-19 pandemic forced providers to step-up the infection control game because the services we provide are essential. Part of this involves not only using disposable supplies where … Continue reading →

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Disinfecting Hearing Aids with UV Light: Yes or No? – A.U. Bankaitis, PhD & Lori Zitelli, AuD

Posted on August 27, 2020 by AU Bankaitis

A wide range of microbes (e.g. bacteria, viruses, fungi) grow on hearing aid surfaces1,2 and audiologists and other providers should either clean and disinfect hearing aids prior to handling devices with bare hands, or put on a pair of gloves … Continue reading →

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From Broke to More Successful than Ever – Rise & Thrive

Posted on August 10, 2020 by AU Bankaitis

If you haven’t heard Dr. Gyl Kasewurm’s story, it is pretty incredible. In her own words… “In the middle of the recession in 2008 and 2009 I went absolutely broke. I was devastated! I had worked so hard to build … Continue reading →

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