Choosing The Right Audiologist For You

Hearing aids are not something you can just put in your ears and forget about.

They are like any rehabilitation device; they take time and patience until they work just right.

That’s why the path to rehabilitation is every bit as important as the hearing aid itself.

HOW TO CHOOSE AN AUDIOLOGIST:

1. Be heard. Too often we have patients come into our office unhappy because they were not able to properly communicate with their audiologist and their hearing rehabilitation soon became an unpleasant experience for them. Communication is key with any healthcare provider, but will be especially important if you want to get the most value out of your hearing aids.
2. Distance of their office to your home. If you have mobility and/or time constraints, you’ll want to choose an office location that is close to you. You should be making several trips into the office during the first weeks while you adjust to the hearing aids.
3. Technology is important, but without proper care, it will become pointless. The majority of hearing aid users do not walk out of their audiologist’s office on the first day with the perfect settings for their hearing loss. It takes time and experience to find just the right settings for you. You may not run into a situation where you need special settings (places like concerts, movie theaters, crowded restaurants, etc.) for a few days, but when you do, you’ll want to have your hearing aids reprogrammed to accommodate your lifestyle. If you get a great deal on the latest hearing aid technology, but don’t use a provider that offers you quality care and careful rehabilitation, your hearing aid technology will be useless.
4. Trust. This is a big one. You are going to be working closely with your audiologist to ensure your rehabilitation goes as smoothly as possible. If you cannot trust them to have your best interest at heart, go elsewhere for treatment.
5. Flexibility. Some audiologists man multiple offices and/or are only open certain days of the week. Make sure their office schedule works with your general schedule. Established Audiologists should accept most insurances and have multiple payment methods as well.