Future States for Hearing Care.

Evolutionary changes occur across health care, including within the hearing care delivery system. At times, the change is driven by external forces and thus elicits a reactive response. In contrast, developing a vision of a future state, and subsequently the strategies to achieve that vision, is a proactive and a preferred process. Using the reactive versus proactive framework, a future state built around the emergence of genetics as both an assessment tool and a treatment option is presented. In addition, a broad, consumer-centric vision for access to affordable and contemporary hearing care is presented that would result in an expanded and positive future state for hearing care services.