6 • How To Choose | JULY 2020
How to Choose a
Hearing Aid
Accordi ng to the World Hea lth Organization, 466 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. It can be difficult to know who to trust when it comes to your hearing healthcare. The best place to start is by consulting with the expert- a reputable audiologist.
These “best practices” are the gold standard in hearing aid fitting, and although they may not mean much to the average consumer, it’s very important to work with an audiologist who abides by them. If your provider isn’t doing these things, they’re cutting corners and sacrificing your quality of care. Your EXPERT CARE AND MAINTENANCE hearing is important, and you deserve The most important factor in successful to be appropriately fit to your hearing hearing aid outcomes is choosing the prescription. right professional. A hearing aid, no matter how advanced, is only as good How do you structure your pricing? as how well it is programmed and fit. Some practices use “bundled” pricing, An audiologist is a clinical doctor and meaning that when you purchase is the expert in diagnosing and treating hearing aids you also purchase years hearing loss. Audiologists spend four of services with that practice that you years after undergraduate school may or may not end up using. Bundled studying everything hearing related- pricing is a major factor in the high from pediatrics and cochlear implants prices of hearing aids. If budget is a to aural rehabilitation and the vestibular factor, consider opting for a practice that (balance) system. offers “unbundled”, or itemized pricing. Itemized pricing keeps cost down by Similar to your relationship with your allowing you to pick and choose what regular optometrist or dentist, your services and “extras” you need while not relationship with your audiologist will paying for things that you don’t need, be a long term one. Hearing devices such as service plans, accessories, or need regular maintenance and your batteries. hearing requires regular monitoring to ensure great outcomes. It’s important to TECHNOLOGY LEVELS, choose an audiologist who makes you RECHARGEABLITILITY, feel comfortable and who you trust for BLUETOOTH… your long-term care. Choosi ng a hea ri ng a id c a n be overwhelming because of the many To ensure you’re seeing a reputable options available to consumers. audiologist, ask them the following Many hearing aids now come with questions: rechargeable options, which means no Do you offer all major hearing aid longer having to deal with changing manufacturers? small batteries. Through Bluetooth Some practices are funded or owned connection to phones, TVs, and tablets, by a hearing aid manufacturer, which you can stream music, shows, and severely limits your access to a wide podcasts directly into your ears. Today’s range of technology and means you hearing aids come in a wide range of may not be getting the device that’s best technology levels at different price suited for you. points. The higher levels of technology Do you “lock” your devices? do a better job performing in background Some practices lock the computer chips noise and have more “channels” for your inside the aids so that only that practice provider to adjust. They are also more can program and adjust the aids. That “automatic”, constantly scanning your means that if you aren’t happy with their environment for sounds and adjusting services or they close down business, accordingly. you’re stuck with aids that cannot be adjusted. Don’t get bogged down by the details! Do you perform audiological “best Your audiologist should work with you to p ra c t i c e s ” i n c l u d i n g re a l e a r select the best manufacturer and level measurements, speech in noise testing, of technology for your lifestyle and your and electro-acoustic analysis? budget.
Salisbury Post/Davie Enterprise/Stanly News & Press
THE TEAM AT UWHARRIE HEARING IS READY TO WORK WITH YOU!
Now accepting patients by appointment only.
(704) 282-6062
info@uwharriehearingdoctors.com www.uwharriehearingdoctors.com
Summer Switch-Up!
For the month of August, call us and mention this ad to receive up to $400 credit towards new technology when you trade in your current hearing aids (no matter how old)
Let this be your time to
start hearing better!
110 W. North St. Albemarle NC 28001
