The solution to hearing your best is not, purchase the latest and greatest or even the most expensive hearing aids. Contrary to much of the marketing “noise” you are bombarded with, there is so much more to hearing your best than the device itself. The value gained by any patient does not lie solely with a hearing device, but equally in the service and experience their audiologist delivers.
Success with amplification will look different for different patients. Hearing aids do not cure hearing loss. They maximize your communication abilities by using your damaged hearing system to its potential. Realistic expectations for your type and degree of hearing loss should be very well explained by your audiologist. Your hearing loss and your ear anatomy are unique to you and your hearing loss should be treated in a personalized way. Sometimes the solution to your hearing difficulty is not a hearing aid at all.
There are best practice procedures in audiology that are expected to be included in quality hearing healthcare. Many of these procedures are not being practiced in clinics today. Evidence has shown that patients have the best outcomes when these proven practices are followed. This type of care is not always 100% covered by your insurance. Practicing audiology in this way is not the fastest or the least expensive, but it is the best.
My expectations for patient care are very high, and yours should be too. You have the right to demand this level of care. The hard of hearing community deserves better. Be your own advocate in your hearing healthcare journey. Search for an audiologist who considers this standard of care as non-negotiable; an audiologist who relies on research to drive their clinical decisions to give you the best opportunity for optimal outcomes.