Our hearing aids might change telemedicine

Oh no.

I'm definitely going to get scolded for this.

One day, I received a phone call at the office.

“Is the person in charge of the hearing aid ' Medical Listening Plug’ sold by Sharp available?”

The customer's call was transferred to me, the sales representative.

The person on the other end of the line was a doctor. He was an expert in hearing loss treatment and a well-known doctor even among specialists. To have him go out of his way to call me... this is bad.

I thought to myself: this is definitely going to be a scolding.

A phone call from a doctor

Why did I think I was going to be scolded?

It is because the Medical Listening Plug is a product that breaks industry norms by enabling "completely online fitting" rather than "in-person fitting."

With conventional hearing aids, users visit a store multiple times before and after purchase to perform adjustments called " in-person" fitting.

Our hearing aids are handled primarily " online," from sales to fitting and after-sales service.

However, there are definitely people who are struggling because they cannot go to a hearing aid store for various reasons. We want to offer the "online" solution to those people. It is a simple reason, but it makes us a bit of an outlier in the industry.

So, I thought Dr. Kanzaki, who called me, would surely scold me.

Dr. Akira Kanzaki is the director of the Department of Otolaryngology at the National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center.

Previously, he studied under a renowned authority on hearing loss at a university hospital. Furthermore, he is a seasoned expert who even trained abroad at a world-famous university in the field of hearing loss. He is also listed as one of the authors of the "Tinnitus Clinical Practice Guidelines" edited by the Audiological Society of Japan. Clinical practice guidelines are like textbooks for doctors. Currently, in addition to clinical research targeting patients and basic research in the laboratory, he also examines patients at the hospital.

Given his brilliant background, I assumed it would be a scolding call along the lines of, "I cannot forgive online hearing aid fitting!" So, I answered the phone with trepidation, and then...

Huh?
Things were not as I had imagined.

"Could you tell me more about the Medical Listening Plug?" they asked.

So, we set up another day to explain it to them in an online meeting.

On the day, Dr. Kanzaki, who appeared on the monitor, radiated kindness from the screen. I still remember the face of Dr. Kanzaki as he listened to my presentation with a smile.

As an aside, I am a mid-career hire at Sharp. Before that, I worked in MR and marketing for drugs handled by medical device manufacturers.

An MR is a professional who provides pharmaceutical information to medical professionals such as doctors and pharmacists.

Valuing that experience, I was entrusted with the sales and channel development of the Medical Listening Plug. However, I couldn't find the time to approach medical institutions and had been putting it off for a long time.

That is why I was even more delighted that a medical professional was interested in it.

Dr. Kanzaki was focusing on the problems faced by island regions.

Island regions refer to, well, islands. Remote islands and various archipelagos are all island regions.

On islands without hearing aid stores or otolaryngology clinics, people have to travel off-island by boat or plane to purchase or adjust hearing aids. It is expensive, and it is difficult to get support when needed.

Leaving hearing loss untreated poses a significant risk. There are reports that hearing loss affects the decline of cognitive function. It is said that supplementing "hearing" with hearing aids improves quality of life and can also lead to dementia prevention.

With the Medical Listening Plug, which can be adjusted online, we might be able to prove the effectiveness of hearing aid use in island regions.

Invited to go to an island in Tokyo

Later, Dr. Kanzaki invited us at Sharp, saying, "Would you like to conduct a joint demonstration study in an island region?" My answer was, of course, that I would be happy to participate.

The name of the demonstration study is "Hearing health checkups for islanders and verification of the effects of wearing online hearing aids".

The location is Toshima Village, Tokyo.
It is a small island floating in the Pacific Ocean, about 140 km south of Tokyo.

The island has one clinic with a doctor and a nurse. Once a year, an otolaryngologist visits the island.

The purpose of this demonstration study was to have people living on the island with mild to moderate hearing loss use Medical Listening Plugs for six months, and to clarify the effects of online fitting and evaluate their speech comprehension and cognitive function.

The members consisted of medical professionals, island residents, and us at Sharp.

The organizations and members who boarded the same ship to reach our goal were also a wonderful group of people.

As an aside, the people from the Village Office and the Social Welfare Council are transplants. In Toshima, about 84% of people in their 20s to 40s are I-turn migrants (as of January 2020), and there are many children.

Due to the nature of their work, Mr. E from the Village Office and Mr. M from the Social Welfare Council know the approximately 300 island residents very well. Just by seeing their faces, they would immediately call them by name, saying, 'Mr./Ms. So-and-so!' Their memory is formidable.

With this dream team, we decided to conduct a demonstration study on supporting people with hearing loss in island areas using Medical Listening Plugs in June 2023.

A kickoff meeting was held online in May, where the key members met for the first time.

Why? This is strange. We are implementing it in June, yet the kickoff is in May...

There was a reason we rushed the demonstration study: the weather. Toshima, floating in the Pacific, is surrounded by steep cliffs, and when the sea gets rough due to strong winds, ships are canceled. Helicopters don't fly either. To ensure the demonstration study could be carried out, we had to get to the island before the rainy season or typhoon season arrived, no matter what.

I was so busy with preparations that I have almost no memory of that time. I was pushing forward toward the possibilities unfolding before me.

Medical Listening Plugs, which are medical devices, might become one option in telemedicine.

The world of medical devices is structured such that there are patients first, then doctors and medical professionals who examine the patients, and we support those people with medical devices.

In this demonstration study, the islanders, the medical professionals, and we, the medical device manufacturers, can move forward together toward a single goal.

The day of the demonstration research has finally arrived.

Dragging two suitcases packed with 40 hearing aids, we departed from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo and took a high-speed boat for about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

We arrived at Toshima Island.

The island has a beautiful conical shape, and it is said that the entire island is covered in camellia forests. There are about 200,000 trees. Apparently, in winter, camellia flowers bloom all over the island. But it is early summer now. The island was wrapped in greenery.

When we got off the boat, someone from the Council of Social Welfare was waiting at the port to pick us up.

Guided by the Council of Social Welfare, we headed to the community exchange center, which would serve as our venue.
Of the three-day schedule, the first day was for preparation and a seminar by the Council of Social Welfare, and the second and third days were for the demonstration research.

As the sun set and the start time for the Council of Social Welfare seminar approached, the islanders began to gather one after another.

Not only the town office staff and the Council of Social Welfare members, but it seemed like all the islanders knew each other. The mayor of Toshima Village also came, and everyone was chatting lively. From the conversations I could hear, it seemed some people were still hesitant about participating in the demonstration research.

The seminar on ear health and cognitive function began.

Dr. Kanzaki used various data to explain why we decided to conduct this demonstration research.

■ Research Background

・Leaving hearing loss untreated is the greatest risk to maintaining cognitive function
・Hearing loss is difficult to notice on one's own
・Those with moderate hearing loss who are unaware of it have worse cognitive function, etc.

■Purpose of the Demonstration Research

To verify the effectiveness of hearing screenings in regions (islands) where otolaryngologists and hearing aid stores are not permanently located, and to evaluate speech intelligibility and cognitive function when using hearing aids (which can be adjusted online).

And then, it was my turn.

The fact that Sharp utilized its communication technology to create the Medical Listening Plug.

The background to this is the fact that in Japan, about one in ten people suffers from hearing loss.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people who feel they have difficulty hearing has increased by about 1.5 times, and among those in their 50s, one in five feels this way.

General hearing aids are expensive and require multiple visits to a store for adjustments. Medical Listening Plugs are about one-third the price, and everything from purchase to adjustment can be done online.

In the demonstration research, we at Sharp support the initial fitting, such as hearing checks. If you have any questions during the six months, you can contact the service center directly or consult through the local social welfare council.

If you decide to participate in the demonstration research, we will lend you a Medical Listening Plug for six months free of charge, and a smartphone if you wish.

For those who are worried that the hearing aid might fall out of their ear, I also brought clips that can be attached to the collar of your clothes.

The islanders watched over me with gentle expressions as I explained things earnestly, and my heart, which is usually exposed to the rough waves of work, gradually warmed up.

We will carefully create sound tailored to how you hear.

I had wondered how many people would participate in the demonstration research starting tomorrow, but such worries were unnecessary.

People who were interested in their own hearing signed up for the health check one after another.

I heard from an islander later that the number of seminar participants was higher than usual. That alone made it worth coming to the island.

Demonstration Research

On the second and third days, we conducted the demonstration research. The operation proceeded in the following way, although the order sometimes changed slightly depending on how crowded the venue was.

■Method
1. Check if there are any abnormalities in the eardrum
2. Test cognitive function. Also ask about how you hear
3. Perform a hearing test with an app. (It is fine even in an environment without soundproof facilities)
4. Explain the diagnosis based on the results of 1-3
5. Fit the Medical Listening Plug*
6. Test hearing while wearing the Medical Listening Plug
*For those with mild to moderate hearing loss and cognitive function test results above a certain level

We at Sharp set up in the tatami room at the back of the building. We spread out our suitcases in front of the alcove, lined up equipment and explanatory materials on the low table, and sat on cushions waiting for visitors.

When a subject arrived at the room, we had them download the app to their smartphone and performed a hearing check using the app. Since some people are not good at operating smartphones, I helped them with that.

Once the hearing check was finished, the data was immediately sent to the service center. A fitter was on standby at the center for the demonstration research, who created hearing data tailored to the subject and sent it back immediately. Coordinating with the center was Taka-san's role.

Once the data arrives from the center, register it to the Medical Listening Plug. Check the hearing quality.

That is truly wonderful! It is quite something.

Among those who visited the center, there was an elderly man.

I was observing him as he answered the preliminary 'questions about hearing,' and the reaction of the relative who accompanied him left an impression on me.

When the man was asked, 'Do you hesitate to attend gatherings or meetings due to hearing problems?' and he answered 'Yes,' his relative was surprised, saying, 'What!'

Although the man was elderly, he was sharp in both his movements and his responses, so his relative likely had no idea he was feeling that way.

I had the man wear the Medical Listening Plug with adjusted hearing settings and asked him, 'How is it?'

His first words were

'Your voice is loud!'

No one has ever told me this, but I like to think my voice is soft and gentle.
The volume of my voice when speaking to the man was the same from the start.
The volume setting on the Medical Listening Plug was at about 70 percent.
Even so, the fact that he felt the voice of the person he was listening to while using the hearing aid was 'loud' suggests just how much his 'hearing' ability had declined.

The man, who was able to hear sounds well for the first time in a long while, said this to me as he was leaving the venue:

'At first I thought the sound was loud, but it is truly wonderful. If I can keep hearing sounds this well from now on, it is quite something!'

Among the participants, there were some who thought they were 'hard of hearing' themselves, but when tested, there were no issues.

There was also someone who said, 'My wife can hear the birds singing well, but I cannot.' Usually, when fitting, we focus on conversation with people. On the nature-rich island of Toshima, the chirping of birds must also be an important daily pleasure.

An island to aspire to, free from social isolation

This demonstration study would not be possible without the cooperation of the islanders. Having spent three days with the people of this island, I was a little surprised.

I was surprised by how the municipal office staff and social welfare council members interacted with the people who gathered because they had trouble hearing; they were close and intimate in a way that might be considered a bit intrusive in the city.

The problem of hearing loss is linked to the problem of human communication.

However, in the interactions among the people of Toshima, there is none of the strange tension one feels in the city, even if one has difficulty hearing. Perhaps because they trust each other, they are defenseless and have no strange reservations.

Even if you have a little trouble hearing, you won't be isolated.

An island without social isolation.

Even without otolaryngologists or hearing aid stores, the city will likely never be able to compete with the spiritual richness of the island's community.

If our medical listening plugs can be of even the slightest help in ensuring this communication never dies out, I would be more than satisfied.

Why I chose a career in medicine

In the previous section, I wrote as if I were born in the city, but I grew up in a place as lush and green as Toshima.

There were few hospitals, and doctors were dispatched from universities that focused on telemedicine.

Growing up in such a place, I eventually aspired to pursue a career in medicine.

I think there are two reasons why I was influenced. One was a friend who was fighting after suffering from drug-induced damage. The other was a friend who was suffering after losing their mother to cancer. I feel like I aspired to the medical field because I was disgusted by my own helplessness, being unable to do anything even though I was close by.

I liked animals, so I considered going to veterinary school, but I am actually severely allergic to cats. I gave up on cats and chose literature, which was my next interest.

Although I took a detour into literature, after graduating from university, I joined a global medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturer. I was assigned to the Human Resources and General Affairs Department. However, I was so careless that even when circulars were passed around, I would pass them to the person next to me in a second without even looking at them. I am completely unsuited for office work.

I prefer being outside rather than inside. I wanted to know the medical field. My wish came true, and I transferred to the MR department. I took a job providing pharmaceutical information to medical professionals.

After that, through a connection with a renowned cardiac catheter specialist, I moved to another medical device manufacturer. I was involved in launching new businesses and promoting sales.

In both my first and second companies, I achieved quite high sales results, if I do say so myself. The reason my performance was good was that the medical professionals responded seriously to me as I faced my work seriously. I am still endlessly grateful to the medical professionals I met during that time.

But I was fighting every day.
I was fighting 365 days a year with a boss whose way of thinking didn't match mine.

Back then, I was reckless. At the time, a serious side effect occurred with another company's drug. As it began to become clear that the drug we were handling was theoretically safe, I was desperate to get our product out there for the sake of the patients, no matter what.

If there was something I couldn't accept, I wouldn't back down. I was just a young punk throwing my weight around, using my sales performance as a shield. I was only lucky enough to have met such wonderful medical professionals.

Looking back now, I am truly embarrassed. If I could go back in time, I would want to strangle my arrogant younger self.

To compensate for my lack of ability, I even paid my own way through business school while working.

I was also involved in launching a medical NPO that disseminates medical information.

I was struggling to do something about cases where people were too late to be saved because necessary medical information wasn't spreading.

It was also around this time that I participated in the production of a manga set in a hospital, acting as a supervisor from a medical manufacturer. Using what I learned in business school as a hint, I even realized a collaboration with a major band. The manga became an explosive hit, was turned into a drama, then a movie, and I witnessed firsthand how medical information spread to the general public.

In this way, I did everything simultaneously and earned my MBA, but humans should not cut their sleep to the absolute limit. I finally collapsed from overwork and ended up quitting the company.

I finally slowed down.

At one point, a friend at a graduate school in the U.S. invited me to observe classes and research activities on special needs education for people with disabilities. That was where I learned that technology could be used to support daily life.

If technology enters our daily lives, people's lives can change this much!

When I learned that Sharp was recruiting talent for digital health solutions, the scene I had seen in America crossed my mind.

Among medical devices,
with Sharp's technology, which is close to daily life,
we might be able to secure a unique position.

When I was at a medical device manufacturer, I was encouraged by seeing patients change dramatically, and I believed this was my true calling.
On the other hand, I also had the thought: couldn't we have done something to save them before they reached such a terrible state?

I was in the world of sick care, which cures diseases, but if I went to the world of healthcare, which is the stage before that, I might be able to reduce the number of people who suffer.

Sharp's hearing aids have that potential.

I joined Sharp.

From sick care to the world of healthcare

The medical industry and Sharp were polar opposites.

Because the medical industry has to prioritize safety above all else, it was said at the time that they wouldn't even cross a bridge after tapping it to check its safety. In such an industry, I was a bit of an outlier, but when I joined Sharp, I was just a normal person.

After joining, the head of the division told me, 'You won't sell anything by doing the obvious, so don't do the obvious.'

I was surprised.
I was happy.

From here, the struggle of Taka-san and me to make the Medical Listening Plug known to the world began.

The environment where I could interact closely with project members also became a great source of strength.

When I was at a medical device manufacturer, I never even saw the faces of the developers. Because it was necessary to protect development information, there were many employees who spent their entire careers without knowing the development or sales teams.

At Sharp, everyone involved, from development to manufacturing and sales, holds meetings together.

I am made to listen endlessly to the overly passionate thoughts of the developers.

If they are that serious, I have no choice but to do it too; my heart is moved.

The feeling of wanting to give my all as a 'salesperson,' who is also the final finisher, wells up within me.

And so, I came to Toshima.

I will deliver the products and services that my colleagues at the company created to an area with few medical resources, and contribute to solving problems right at the heart of the matter.

Using the technology of online fitting, I will paint a new landscape for telemedicine.

I am incredibly happy right now to be able to witness that potential.

If you are a local government interested in this demonstration research, please feel free to contact us.

mlp_contact@sharp.co.jp

・The product page for Medical Listening Plug is here

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