See A Professional

I spent time last week at my profession's national convention. Audiology's a pretty small world and the things that impact one of us tend to impact all of us. The direction that our leadership take us in or that we take our leadership in affects each of us. There is a constant debate about ethics and best practices and patient care and insurance and payment and test batteries.

There are a lot of misconceptions about what I do. No, I am not an ENT. Yes, I am just as important and maybe more so if you have a hearing loss. No, I don't just turn on the computer and let the test run. No, I can't write you a prescription. Yes, I had to have many years of education to do my job well. Yes, my title is Doctor. No, I do not just push a button to set your hearing aids. No, you should not put Q-Tips in your ears. Yes, I care about your kid's ears more than I probably should.

So here's my soapbox


(Credit to drownmybooks.blogspot.com for the picture)

What our profession comes down to is that we care. That's why we do what we do. We should be giving you the best possible service when you are with us. We don't know all the answers, but we'll strive to find the answer. We will fit you in for earmold impressions, tubing changes, broken battery doors, a feared change in hearing, possible ear infection, when you show up early or late for your appointment. We will sit with you while you absorb the news that your sweet child has a hearing loss that will never get better but might get worse, while you wrap your head around the fact that you don't hear as well and need some help, while you tell us that you hear just fine; everyone else is mumbling, while you take in what we're saying between the lines when your kiddo is pretending to have a hearing loss and we've given them a gracious way out of it. We will work with insurance companies, charitable organizations, our own billing departments to get you what you need at the least amount of cost possible because we know that you haven't planned to lose your hearing or for a pair of hearing aids for your child.

In return we would ask a few things. This is a relationship after all, isn't it? Please see "Us" for hearing aids and hearing tests. "Us" being the licensed audiologists who have a masters or doctorate after our name. "Us" being those that are legally obligated to have you pay because a "free" hearing test is illegal. "Us" being those that understand how hearing aids work and know how best to use the software to give you the closest approximation to normal hearing as possible. "Us" being those that explain why you may not be able to walk into an office and walk out with hearing devices that you will regret. In a nutshell, "Us" not being those who are a hearing aid dispenser. Yes, you can be a licensed audiologist and a hearing aid dispenser. But not all hearing aid dispensers are licensed audiologists. U"s" being those who will not treat you via a hearing screening on line and then sell you a hearing aid off the internet, preying on the economic crisis we are in to provide shoddy care and a poorly fit product.

If you have heart issues, you go to a cardiologist. If you have stomach issues, you go to a gastroenterologist. If you have kidney problems, you go to a nephrologist. If you have eye problems you go to the optometrist or opthamologist. You don't go see a guy who couldn't make it in med school or didn't even try, shrug your shoulders, and think "He's probably good enough".

So please, if you have hearing or balance problems, go see one of "Us". A licensed audiologist.




Thanks, Shell, for allowing me to pour my heart out