fbpx
Call (916) 930-6347

Thanks for joining our Newsletter!

Your Hearing Healthcare Provider should be both COMPETENT and CARING You don’t have to settle for less.

When you’re ready to get help for your hearing, you’ll want to choose the right Hearing Healthcare Provider. WHO you work with is equally as important as getting the right technology for your individual hearing loss and your lifestyle.

But how do you know if you are working with the RIGHT Hearing Aid Provider???

Here’s a checklist of 10 questions to ask yourself after your hearing is tested but before you choose a hearing aid provider and make a purchase.

A competent and caring provider will go over all of these points with you. If they don’t, get a second or even third opinion to find the RIGHT provider – someone who truly educates you and makes you feel like a partner in the decisions about your hearing care

N

Was a thorough hearing evaluation done?

A hearing test should include pure tone testing (the beeps) as well as extensive speech testing. Be sure a detailed case history was taken and discussed. To select the proper circuit for your loss, it is critical to know about your lifestyle and where you need to hear more clearly. This takes at least 60 minutes.

N

Did you get an explanation of your hearing loss?

You have a right and a need to know about your hearing loss. This should be done in a way that is easy for you to understand. If you don’t understand, ask questions until you do.

N

Were realistic expectations of your fitting made?

No hearing instrument gets rid of all the background noise. Getting rid of background noise would also get rid of the voices you want to hear. However, sophisticated, high-tech circuits and directional microphones can modify sounds making it easier to understand in noise. These circuits vary in price but are well worth their value.

N

Don’t fall for bargain hearing aids or deeply discounted hearing aids.

The old saying “you get what you pay for” is especially true for hearing instruments. The best deal is not the cheapest.

N

Did your provider stress the importance of follow-up care?

Follow-up care is just as critical as selecting the proper circuit. All hearing devices require some adjustments for comfort and hearing ability. You will be learning to hear in a new way and you want someone to walk through this adjustment period with you, counseling and coaching you along the way.

N

Were you treated with respect?

If you feel like a number, chances are you will be treated like a number even after you become a paying client and purchase hearing instruments.

N

Beware of promises.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Hearing instruments can make a tremendous difference. Be sure both the benefits and the shortcomings of your fitting are discussed so you can have realistic expectations.

N

Was the importance of fitting both ears reviewed?

If you have a loss in both ears, get instruments for both ears. One hearing aid for a two-ear hearing loss often causes more problems than no hearing aid at all.

N

Know your rights.

Only Licensed Audiologists and Licensed Hearing Aid Dispensers can fit hearing instruments in the state of California. Within the first 45 days of your fitting, the provider must adjust or replace your hearing instruments, or refund your money if the fitting cannot be adjusted to meet your hearing needs. That’s the law and you have rights.

N

Do you feel comfortable with your Hearing Healthcare / Hearing Aid Provider?

If you are not comfortable with the person doing the testing, find someone else. Get a second or third opinion, if necessary. The relationship you form with this person is vital to the success of your hearing rehabilitation.