Advertiser Spotlight

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT CENTER FOR HEARING

Lori Boyd, AuD, Kelley Linton, AuD, Trace Cash, AuD

with Kelley Linton, AuD

Doctor of Audiology/Founder and Owner of Center for Hearing

4300 Rogers Ave, Ste. 15 Fort Smith, Arkansas centerforhearing.net 479.785.3277 When founded: Opened 1998 Number of employees: 13 Employees

ABOUT CENTER FOR HEARING

Center for Hearing is a private practice audiology clinic serving both adults and children. They provide complete hearing health care, hearing aids and hearing rehabilitation for all ages and provide services to the entire River Valley region.

IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE, WHAT SETS CENTER FOR HEARING APART? Providing the best, individualized, high quality patient care. We have the best Doctors of Audiology and an extensive and knowledgeable staff available to help patients with all hearing needs.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO YOUR PRACTICE OVER THE YEARS? Our growth has been the biggest change to our practice. We have expanded our clinic space, including plans to build a new clinic in 2021 which will triple our current space, as well as continuing to increase our staff so that patient care does not suffer in the wake of our growth.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE HAS REMAINED THE SAME OVER THE YEARS AND WHY IS THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION TO YOUR PRACTICE? Our mission to provide the highest quality of hearing health care to those that seek our help while staying on the cutting edge of technology and healthcare advances so that our doctors have access to all that is available to improve quality of life through better hearing.

WHAT IS THE CULTURE OF YOUR PRACTICE? We maintain a culture of gratitude for the life we have been blessed with and for the patients that seek our help. We know our success is determined by how many people we serve and how well we serve them. IN WHAT WAYS HAS TECHNOLOGY HAD AN IMPACT ON YOUR PRACTICE? Technology impacts all we do in providing the latest advances in digital sound quality through hearing aids. Hearing aids are tiny computers with very advanced sound processing capabilities. Most hearing aids have artificial intelligence (AI) as well as Bluetooth connectivity. These devices must be prescribed and programmed by a skilled professional so that the patient experiences the highest quality of hearing possible. Much of the equipment we use for testing and evaluating patients is also changing as medicine improves. Center for Hearing maintains the latest and most advanced clinical evaluation technology available in the field of audiology.

WHAT'S THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE AT CENTER FOR HEARING? We are building a new clinic with more space and will plan to add a few more personnel. We want to have the room and staffing to serve our patients’ hearing needs in a welcoming and spacious environment.

WHAT ADVANTAGES DOES FORT SMITH PRESENT FOR YOUR PRACTICE? Many people from the surrounding areas choose Fort Smith for their medical care. As a border town, it allows us to help people from both Arkansas and Oklahoma hear better and improve their quality of life. HOW DOES CENTER FOR HEARING INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY? Center for Hearing is part of several organizations which give back to those with hearing needs. We provide audiology and hearing aid care to an orphanage in Honduras. Dr. Linton has gone to Honduras for sixteen years to provide care and services. A small portion of each hearing aid sold is sent to the national organization “Hearing the Call” which provides hearing care for those who are unable to afford it. Center for Hearing has been able to fit many residents with amplification at no charge, through a program called “Hear Now.” Unfortunately, this program was suspended due to COVID, but we are hopeful it will start back up soon. We also sponsor many events locally as well as many school functions. We only give to local organizations and charities to keep our contributions beneficial to the River Valley residents.

HOW HAVE YOU ADJUSTED TO COVID-19 PROTOCOLS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE CUSTOMERS WHILE KEEPING EMPLOYEES SAFE? From the beginning of the pandemic, Audiology was considered essential. A person’s life stops if they are unable to communicate, whether it’s with family, television, doctors, safety workers or friends. COVID has caused isolation and hearing difficulties should not exacerbate that feeling of isolation. We follow CDC guidelines and continue to offer curbside care as needed.