You take over the presidency of the SFA. What do you feel?
The former presidents of the SFA are all extremely well-known, recognized and respected in the profession: whether it is Dr Isabelle Mosnier, Professor Hung Thai-Van who chaired the world congress, or François Dejean who is a hearing aid specialist who has marked the pediatric equipment in France. They are all endowed with hard work, integrity and disconcerting simplicity. I am therefore very honored but above all impressed to take over from them, and I hope to be up to the task!
How is your team made up?
Reflection on the composition of the office is underway and it will be announced shortly. I like the idea of not rushing, of putting together a team in consultation with the other members, and thus finding a balance both in terms of experience with the presence of “elders” and also with the arrival “new ones” who can bring their energy.
I would therefore like to call on, among the current members, people likely to become more involved, to bring their expertise to the board of directors and who, as our statutes provide, could subsequently be part of from the office if they wish. There are nuggets everywhere; they must be valued. We will communicate about this new office probably at the beginning of next year but I can already tell you that it will expand and that I will be attentive as much to its parity, as to the fact that all the professions constituting audiology in France are represented.
What is your roadmap for your mandate?
I wish to follow in the footsteps of the successive presidents who preceded me and who unanimously worked to make audiology shine, while trying to bring a form of novelty. We are evolving in a rapidly changing world and audiology is no exception. I am thinking, for example, of strengthening our digital communication, of imagining new congress formats, of involving new professionals related to audiology such as phoneticians… All while remaining within the scientific dimension and neutrality which so characterize the SFA.
Is communication an important axis?
Yes, I really want to work on communication because it is essential. I took care of this at the National Hearing Aid College and it was beneficial. I will therefore apply essentially the same recipes: modern and reinforced presence on social networks, scientific communication intended for professionals, reflection on new research themes via articles, conferences… I am always surprised to see that some of my colleagues (and friends) are not informed of the life of our association. This means that there is still a lot of work to do to get to them!
I want to communicate more about what we offer, such as the webinars called “SFA Tuesdays”, short in format (1 hour) and very “practical”, free, open to all, and for which there is just register. We can’t do better in terms of model and accessibility regarding scientific and technical monitoring!
The SFA also organizes conferences…
Historically, the SFA alternates between a minor conference one year, then another major the following year. In 2024, it was a little different because the WCA came to shake up our cycle. I am keen to think about a new organization, a new model, perhaps in a hybrid format… If it is important and pleasant to see each other in person, to meet up, to exchange ideas, I also like the idea that we could more easily attend a video session. Because in addition to being ecological, it also saves significant time for the practitioner!
Very early on, I understood that the audiologist could not offer optimal care if he practiced “alone” in his corner.
What is your assessment of the WCA which took place in September?
This is a historic success! The scientific program concocted by the organizing committee was splendid and unanimously praised. It was very impressive to be on the front line and to meet all these people, including world leaders in our discipline. SFORL, co-organizer of the event, was a valuable asset in this success and I would like to thank them. In total, there were nearly 2,400 delegates, while the record was 900 participants. If I want to believe that we have contributed quite a bit to this attractiveness, I must put things into perspective because the holding of the Olympics the same year in Paris, shortly before the WCA, certainly helped to catalyze things.
For several years, I had the responsibility of treasurer of the SFA and I was entrusted with that of the WCA. We are currently drawing up the financial assessment of the event but the first economic elements are very satisfactory even if, from my point of view, it was above all the scientific, technical and human adventure which were the priority!
How will you use these funds?
Our learned society was already in very good economic health. This is the result of years of leadership and proper financial management. With the WCA, there will be a significant benefit that we will have to use properly. I am going to propose things but it is not my money so we will think about it together, as we have always done within the SFA.
Our ambition will be to promote research, the coordination of care and, more broadly, to reuse these funds so that there is a direct or indirect interest in the quality of care for hearing-impaired patients.
On a scientific level, what are the upcoming projects? Are any recommendations in the pipeline?
We have dynamic working groups (GT) which actively study certain aspects of our discipline, participate in the drafting of recommendations… As soon as we reach the end of a work, we do not hesitate, depending on the wishes or skills of our members, to renew ourselves by closing certain GTs to open others. Hence the interest and the need to invest new people.
For example, in 2024, Natalie Loundon was able to publish a document on child speech audiometry thanks to the GT which she piloted very effectively. There will undoubtedly be other GTs which will come to fruition very soon, such as the one relating to the genetic and prenatal or preimplantation diagnosis of pathologies with hearing impairment, currently co-led by Sandrine Marlin and Arnaud Coez.
With the help of the CA, I want to identify new needs, as well as invest new experts. I am thinking, for example, of researchers who are also an integral part of audiology, such as Jean-Luc Puel, Jérôme Bourien, Balbine Maillou or Joël Ducourneau who have joined us and who could be led to lead new GTs.
You want more cooperation between different professions. Concretely, how can we encourage multidisciplinarity?
To begin, I must clarify that the hearing professionals did not wait for me to do this. The SFA has always cultivated this state of mind where each hearing professional is listened to and respected and can make their contribution. This is done within working groups, through the implementation of scientific programs, projects, etc.
During my mandate, I would perhaps like to give a more important place to speech therapy. No doubt because I was made aware of it during my studies: I took a DU in phoniatrics which brought me closer to speech therapists and allowed me to better understand their contribution to audiology. Indeed, when we talk about audiology, we often place ENT and hearing aids at the top of the list, putting speech therapy second, which is an error in my opinion. Although fewer in number at the SFA, the speech therapists present in our learned society are extraordinarily dynamic and brilliant and their expertise is valuable. Over the next two years, I would like them to be able to express themselves more, perhaps simply through a webinar specially dedicated to their treatment of deafness. More broadly, I would like to shine a spotlight on the importance of their involvement, wrongly underestimated…
You have crossed different specialties and done research during your training (see box). Has this given you a better understanding of the sector?
That’s absolutely correct. Very early on, I understood that the audiologist could not offer optimal care if he practiced “alone” in his corner. The care is all the more efficient if it is done globally as part of a multidisciplinary project, with the ENT or speech therapist obviously, but also with other professions. That’s the whole point of being within a structure like the SFA. For my part, for example, I involve general practitioners a lot in my daily practice and I try to surround myself with as many professionals as possible in the places where I practice (polyclinic, homes/health centers) with speech therapists. , but also psychomotor therapists, physiotherapists and osteopaths, nurses…
By combining our practices and knowing each other better, it is the patient who wins. This brought me a lot of richness and relevance in my support, so it is quite natural that I invest myself with happiness in this beautiful society that is the SFA, since it is the very example of diversity. joint expertise.
