How do you know if you are working with the right hearing healthcare provider? After your hearing evaluation, go over these 6 important tips. A competent and caring provider will go over all of these points with you. If they don’t, you should get a second opinion and find the provider who takes the time with you. Here is your checklist!
1. Was a thorough hearing evaluation done? That would take close to an hour, not 15 or 20 minutes.
2. Were you treated with respect? If you feel like a number, chances are you will be treated like a number.
3. Did you get an explanation of your hearing loss? You have a right and a need to know about your hearing loss. This should be done in a way that is easy for you to understand.
4. Were realistic expectations of your fitting made? No hearing instrument gets rid of all the background noise.
5. Was the importance of fitting both ears reviewed? If you have a loss in both ears, get instruments for both ears. One hearing aid for a two-ear hearing loss often causes more problems than no hearing aid at all.
6. Within the first 30 days of your fitting, the dispenser must adjust or replace your hearing instruments, or refund your money if the fitting cannot be adjusted to meet your hearing needs. That’s the law in California and you, as a consumer, have rights.