For the more than 40 million Americans who have experienced some degree of hearing loss, hearing aids can provide much-needed relief. By amplifying and clarifying the sounds in the patient’s environment, hearing aids reduce isolation, improve communication, and empower patients to live a safer life. Essentially, hearing aids allow people to reconnect with the world around them, and hearing aid technology continues to get better.
However, to fully benefit from the relief that hearing aids provide, patients must ensure that they engage with hearing healthcare professionals who offer the highest quality of care.
“In the hearing care industry, it is really difficult to find a professional who follows Audiologic Best Practices,” shares Dr. Clifford Olson, Founder and President of HearingUp. “Our studies show that only about 20 percent of professionals who provide assistance to those with hearing loss are following these best practices.”
Dr. Olson is an Audiologist who is a member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. He is the founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix, Arizona, and provides guidance on hearing care to millions of viewers through his Doctor Cliff AuD Youtube Channel. He launched the HearingUp Network to help consumers find a high-quality hearing care professional.
“Consumers who want to ensure they receive quality services should develop a good understanding of best practices and make sure they are receiving guidance from a professional that follows them,” Dr. Olson says. “Those who receive a diagnosis from someone who is clearly not following the best practices should definitely seek a second opinion on their diagnosis from a professional who is.”
Seek a diagnosis from an audiologist
It is common when experiencing hearing loss to seek relief from a primary care physician. While those doctors can perform basic hearing screenings, they typically encourage their patients to seek a more comprehensive evaluation from a professional who specializes in the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss.
These professional options often include otolaryngologists — commonly known as ENTs — or audiologists. ENTs are physicians who are able to address medical causes of hearing loss that may require prescription medications or surgeries, which are not very common. Audiologists on the other hand, are the ones who perform audiologic testing to diagnose hearing loss and other auditory disorders and who treat 90% of hearing loss cases, making them the most logical first option.
“Audiologists have an advanced post-secondary education — which now requires a doctorate degree — and they must frequently participate in continuing education programs that keep them informed on the latest relevant research and development,” Dr. Olson explains. “All of that equips them to handle a broad range of hearing-related problems.”
In some cases, those with hearing loss may seek solutions from hearing instrument specialists, who are trained to evaluate hearing loss and fit and program hearing aids. Hearing instrument specialists can provide adequate care, provided they follow audiologic best practices while delivering that care. However, they will not be able to identify, diagnose, or treat the wide range of ear-related issues that audiologists are trained to address.
Make sure audiologic best practices are followed
“Hearing care professionals who provide person-centered care take into account your wants, needs, and values before making a treatment recommendation,” Dr. Olson explains. “They include you as a joint decision-maker, allowing you to be an active participant in your own care.”
Utilizing this person-centered approach, audiologic best practices begin with a thorough assessment of the patient’s case history and condition, followed by setting goals that align with the patient’s unique needs assessment and lifestyle.
“The first step to prescribing a treatment that works for you is finding out what’s important to you,” Dr. Olson says. “To know that, a hearing care professional needs to spend some time and get to know you. If you have a hearing test and consultation appointment that is less than one hour, that’s a good indicator that you should get a second opinion. It takes more time than that to truly understand your wants, needs, and hearing loss in a way that allows for a solid treatment recommendation.”
The follow-up discussion you have about your test results should not be brief. The hearing care professional should break down the results in a way that explains:
- Which ears are experiencing hearing loss,
- To what degree each ear is experiencing hearing loss,
- The speech sounds impacted by the hearing loss,
- How the hearing loss will impact you in both quiet and noisy settings.
“High-quality clinics typically spend between one and two hours with you to understand your wants and needs, conduct a comprehensive hearing testing, and explain all of your results to you,” Dr. Olson explains. “That level of care is essential for taking the next step and prescribing the correct hearing aids or other solution.”
The next phase of best practices addresses the technical aspects of treatment, including hearing aid selection, quality control, fitting and verification, and hearing assistive devices.
“Audiology best practices ensure that you get the full benefit of your hearing aids,” Dr. Olson says. “They include evaluating devices to optimize their mechanical performance and to verify that their digital features are performing correctly. Best practices also ensure they fit correctly and can be worn comfortably.”
Make sure you are getting the services you are paying for
Hearing aids are an excellent investment for those experiencing hearing loss. However, this is only true if your hearing aids are fit and programmed correctly by your hearing care professional and if you receive excellent professional service as time goes on. This is why best practices are so critical when testing and treating your hearing loss, as well as providing you with long-term follow-up care.
“A detailed fitting and orientation with your hearing aids can dramatically improve the overall success you have with your hearing treatment,” Dr. Olson says. “By getting expert counsel from trained hearing care professionals and engaging in regular follow-ups, you can ensure your treatment will be effective for years to come.”
Receiving proper care for hearing loss is important. To ensure you get the care you need, seek out a professional who obtains a comprehensive understanding of your unique hearing difficulties, provides you with a solid understanding of the diagnosis, and delivers quality audiologic best practice care that is ongoing. If any of those factors are not met, you should seek a second opinion elsewhere.
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