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problems with latest new hearing aids & what to do about them.
Hearing Loss | Last Active: Feb 5 6:20am | Replies (59)Comment receiving replies
I find huge differences between audiologists. I have been to 3 different VAs and have been seen by 7 different audiologists there. Of the 7 I have found one audiologist to be excellent. In VA it is very difficult to go cherry picking for an audiologist you like. All of them have been competent and compassionate people and tried to be helpful. But out comes are quite different. Biggest factor here is you need to be your own advocate - read up, inform yourself, and go back till it works. For example, I didn't get a real ear measurement until I asked for it.
I have also been to 4 different private practice audiology clinics and been seen by 6 different audiologists there and found them to be about the same as VA. I think there is at least as much difference in outcome from the audiologist as from the hearing aids themselves. Getting hearing aids properly fitted is one of the keys.
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@arrowshooter Exactly. This may sound harsh, but it is reality. I would not be surprised if 1 in 7 is the national average for audiologists that know how to properly fit. Just as doctors rely on pharmaceutical companies to be the experts on drug information, the audiologists rely on the hearing aid manufacturers for setting up hearing aids. Audiologists really need to understand audio engineering to help understand all of the factors involved in sound reconstruction. Because it is so complex, I would expect a proper fitting to take much longer than the time that we are given. The number of clinics that do not conform to "best practices" is shocking. Why is this not considered unethical and why can it continue? My research comes from audiologists that have become consumer oriented. People should Google Abram Bailey, AuD of http://www.hearingtracker.com and Dr Cliff Olson of http://www.doctorcliffaud.com. Dr. Cliff also has a YouTube channel. Patient Centered Care (www.idainstitute.com) is a new buzz word in hearing health care. Why is this not commonly practiced? Tele-audiology, the ability to remotely program hearing aids has been available for over two years yet most practices are not set up to do this. It does require that the hearing aids are able to take advantage of this but the biggest problem is that there are no insurance codes that are directly applicable for this. How long before this becomes common practice? Sheesh, I would go on but the reality is that its no wonder that hearing aids end up in dresser drawers. I've mentioned in a previous post that one of my audiologists told me "Audiologists are doing this to themselves".
Tony in Michigan