Clinical Connect: Referrer Newsletter – October 2026
Welcome to Clinical Connect, Hearing Implants Australia’s newsletter for GPs, ENT surgeons, audiologists and other health professionals who refer to and work alongside our team. In this edition, we share new evidence on cochlear implant referral, updates on our research and program, and a reminder of when to refer
New evidence: the 60/70 rule for cochlear implant referral
A 2026 Australian study by Sucher, Fraser, Zwolan and Eikelboom proposes a “60/70” rule to support cochlear implant referral in Australia. It builds on the US-based 60/60 guideline, with the aim of helping clinicians identify adults who should be referred for a cochlear implant assessment sooner. You’ll find a summary in the full newsletter below.
Research update
Our research partnership with Macquarie University continues to grow, with student research projects underway. Our team has also submitted several abstracts to the Audiology Australia 2027 conference in Brisbane.
Improving access to implant surgery in regional NSW
We are advocating for public cochlear implant surgical pathways at Orange and Bathurst hospitals with Dr Aydin Mohammadi, and at Dubbo and Gosford with Dr Ranga Sirigiri. Local surgery would mean fewer long trips to Sydney for regional patients. We welcome support from local medical practitioners for these applications.
When to refer
Consider referring adults who:
- Struggle to follow conversation with well-fitted hearing aids, especially in noise or on the phone
- Have conductive or mixed hearing loss, or can’t wear hearing aids
- Have single-sided deafness
- Experience dizziness or balance problems (vestibular assessment)
Where we see patients
Sydney: St Vincent’s (Darlinghurst), St George, The George Campbelltown, Norwest (Bella Vista) and Westmead
Regional NSW: Wollongong, Nowra, Gosford, Newcastle, Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Tamworth, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga
Anywhere in NSW: telehealth and remote supportDownload the full Clinical Connect newsletter (PDF) clinical-connect-newsletter-october-2026
Referring a patient? Email us or call 0458 550 055. Please include recent audiology results where available.
