I see it all the time.
A person will make an appointment to come into my practice and they – or a family member – is frustrated and confused. They have suffered from hearing difficulties for years … and gone through just about every stage possible when it comes to trying hearing aids.
First they bought one of those $59 devices from an ad they saw in the back of a magazine … which did not help at all.
Then they bought something off the Internet for a few hundred dollars, which worked about as well as the first item.
After that they tried still more product-based options based on the praises about – and discounted prices on – Product XYZ that they saw in advertisements, with the same disappointing results.
Multiple attempts. Thousands of dollars wasted. Their take on the whole process: “Hearing aids don’t work!” My response is that they think that way because they placed their trust in a product rather than a process.
“Amazed” at Results
Fast-forward a few weeks and this new patient of mine is amazed at the results. Not only can they hear, but they can understand what it is that they are hearing! Their lives have been changed for the better, as well as the lives of their loved ones, friends, and associates.
Results like these are the norm in my practice. The process I referred to earlier is implemented for each and every patient on a customized basis. And while the hearing aid technology is a part of that process, it is not the only part.
I liken this process to the construction of of a building: there are vital components that must be in place or the structure will eventually fail, such as the pillars that support a roof. Combined, all the pillars (or “support beams” to use another term) collectively hold the roof up. But if one should fail, all are likely to fail, as well
As it applies to hearing difficulties the three “Pillars of Support” that provide for a successful solution are:
Patient goals — The first pillar of support is you, the patient. What are your goals? And what is your level of willingness to attend follow-up appointments and to take careful notes and assessments of how you perceive you are doing with your new ability to hear? Remember, we are retraining your brain to recognize and comprehend what it is now – and which it had not for some time – hearing.
The Professional — My job is to get to know you, learn about your difficulties, the affect your hearing difficulties are having on your family/friends, lifestyle, etc. It is also up to me to know which hearing aid will be the best choice for you and your listening lifestyle.
The Best Technology – Just as no professional race car driver would hope to win the Daytona 500 driving an old jalopy, successful hearing loss treatment requires superb, science-based technology.
At North State Audiological Services, we have invested in state-of-the-art diagnostic testing equipment (only audiologists are licensed to perform diagnostic evaluations in California) for which to conduct our assessments.
As part of AudigyGroup, we provide our patients with AGX Hearing Aid Technology, manufactured exclusively just for us by by the top hearing aid manufacturers in the world. This fantastic, private-brand technology is available only through AudigyCertified™ practices and is the very best, period!
People Bring It All Together
In the long run, it really is about people. You. My fabulous, AudigyCertified™ staff. An audiologist – like me – who is educated and trained in diagnostic assessments, and who understands how the brain, its hearing system, and hearing aid technology should interact. The dedicated people of different backgrounds who work for the top hearing manufacturing companies. And the tremendous people at AudigyGroup who act as the glue in bringing this all together on a daily basis.
Success for people with hearing difficulties is attainable. But for these people – and their families – their focus should be on people who have pledged to make a positive difference in their patients lives … not on selling them a widget … Because hearing is a wonderful gift!
About the writer: Crystal Chalmers, Au.D., is an AudigyCertified™ Doctor of Audiology, the owner of North State Audiological Services in Chico, and a member of AudigyGroup, the nation’s largest member-owned association of independent hearing care professionals.
Since 2006, AudigyGroup has interviewed over 5,000 of the 18,000 audiologists in the United States, yet has selected only 250 to be members in this elite association. Dr. Chalmers is the only AudigyGroup professional in the entire northeastern part of California. AudigyCertified™ is a trade-mark of AudigyGroup, LLC.
To learn more about Dr. Chalmers, her practice, and AudigyGroup contact us today.
