When searching for a clinic to assist you with your hearing loss, it can be a challenge knowing what to look for in a company. There are strong marketing pushes out there, promoting everything from free hearing tests, free batteries, to $300 hearing aids. Here’s a couple of things to consider in making your clinic selection to ensure you and your loved ones aren’t being taken advantage of.
#1 Judge your First Interaction with the Clinic
When you first make contact, was the office representative courteous; do they seem genuinely concerned in helping you; was there any pressure to book an appointment?
#2 Was the Clinician an Audiologist or an established self-employed Hearing Instrument Specialist?
It is important that you are going to see a local registered Audiologist. If this isn’t mentioned anywhere on their website or in that initial conversation, have your doubts. You also want to question whether there is walk-in service to repair your hearing aids in the office. Is the professional local or working for a big box store? A big box chain will have more of a retail, sales oriented philosophy, will have less specialized diagnostic testing and a smaller selection of hearing aid manufacturers available to them (and you!).
#3 Ask About the Turn Around Time for Repairs
If there ever is an issue with your hearing aid and you need it repaired, it’s always nice to know that you can get it done in a timely fashion. In addition to knowing how long one can expect before a repair is completed, it is equally important to know that a hearing aid can be loaned to you, programmed according to your hearing loss, and provided during this downtime. If it’s a more common repair, many of the more reputable clinics may even be able to repair it at their location, requesting no more than a half-hour to forty-five minutes to do so. Most hearing aids that have to leave our clinic for a manufacturer repair will be turned around within five business days from when you brought your hearing aid to us to when you get it back. Very occasionally, it MIGHT take eight or nine days.
#4 Know the Trial Period for Hearing Aids and Ask About the Warranty
It is the industry standard to grant a minimum trial period of two months to anyone purchasing hearing aids. There are some more reputable clinics who might offer three. This gives you the opportunity to get a feel for what could become a near-permanent accessory. This trial period should be used to make sure you are comfortable with them, know how to use them properly, etc. In addition, a warranty should cover somewhere in the range of three years on a given pair of hearing aids, covering you for all clinic fees (except batteries) for the entire warranty period.
#5 Ask about Other Charges to Purchasing Hearing Aids
There are some clinics that will charge additional after purchase fees, even during the warranty period of the hearing aids. These are typically related to re-programming or repairs. Many clinics will include these costs in their purchasing price, some will not; so ultimately, you need to know what the warranty includes. The clinics that are upfront about these costs are the ones you want to trust. In Ontario, hearing aid invoices provided are unbundled to show you all extra fees in addition to the purchase price of the hearing aid. Hearing aids are not “marked up”; dispensing fees and office warranties cover the clinic’s services. There are no taxes currently on hearing aids.
#6 Will a Clinic be Willing to Complete a Home Visit
Most reputable clinics will assist you or your loved one with respect to home visits for follow-up care. If this is a service you require or would like, it is important to ask about it and ensure that this is something the clinic is willing to consider. The first visit to the Audiologist should be conducted in the office, with a sound booth, calibrated diagnostic equipment, and educational literature.
#7 Pay Attention to the Business Side of the Clinic
Details are important. Get to know whether the clinic is fully staffed Monday to Friday, if they are only open part-time, and what the availability is. If it’s a big box store, ask if there is always a hearing professional on duty during open hours or is there just a rep there to book appointments for the “specialist” to visit once a month. In order to cut down costs, some companies offering audiology hearing aid services will cut down on service.
At Schneiker Audiology Services, we work to ensure that we have the needed resources in place to give the best possible service, the most availability, and accommodating any repairs we can. We always have a hearing professional on staff during open hours and would advise anyone curious about our service to have a visit during business hours for more information.
#8. Talk to your friends, family and neighbours.
When in doubt, ask a neighbour who has hearing aids what their experience with their chosen clinic was like. Our best marketing tool is the cheapest – word of mouth from satisfied/happy Schneiker Audiology patients!