Obtaining a Hearing Aid Examination (HAE)
Make an appointment; either with an Ear, Nose & Throat physician in our office or directly with the Audiology Department. The first step is to get a comprehensive audiometric evaluation to determine the severity and type of hearing loss. It is always a good idea to have an evaluation with a physician to determine the health and well being of the hearing system including the ear canal, eardrum and, of course, the hearing. Sometimes medical treatment for external ear infections, middle ear infections or problems, or tests to rule out serious causes of hearing loss, are indicated and best treated by an Ear Nose & Throat physician.

After the hearing test, a determination of the best treatment option is made. If the loss is something that will respond to medical or surgical management or indicative of a serious illness or disease, the Ear, Nose & Throat physician should be consulted before considering a hearing aid. If the loss if not medically treatable and it is felt that amplification would benefit the patient, a Hearing Aid Evaluation (HAE) is recommended.

During the HAE, an interview with the patient and any family members present, is done to determine the nature of the hearing problem. We know a lot about hearing loss, but each loss may impact the individual and family members differently. We need to determine the most handicapping symptoms and focus on improving or eliminating these to improve the communication.
All hearing aid options are available through our office, such as sizes and technologies, and are reviewed with the patient. Using the information from the interview, the preferences of the patient, and the hearing loss information, the best amplification option is chosen.

All hearing aids at Mid-Kansas Ear, Nose & Throat are fit under an evaluation period. During this period, the hearing aid is worn by the patient in their own environment. The patient then returns to the Audiologist on a two-week cycle during this period to address any issues as they progress through the adaptation period. During this period we will determine if the hearing aid chosen is the most appropriate to solve all the communication needs. If an aid with more or different options is needed, we may exchange aids to try something different. If the patient determines that the size, features, or technology is not solving the communication issues, we will help to determine an alternative for comparison. If we cannot come to a satisfactory alternative, the hearing aids may be returned for credit, less a $100.00 Trial Fee per ear.

Follow-up care is perhaps as important, if not more important, than the hearing aid chosen. Every 3 months throughout the life of the hearing aid, the patient is invited to come into our office for a cleaning and checkup of the hearing aid. During this appointment, the ear canal is examined for wax, the hearing aid shell is cleaned, a listening check of the aid is done, and the microphone and receiver are examined for debris. We also take this opportunity to visit with each patient to determine if they are continuing to successfully use their hearing aids.

Batteries are included with our hearing aids. We provide one four-pack of batteries each month per hearing aid. We ask that batteries be changed once a week. This provides the best possible power for the hearing aid thus minimizing repairs and problems. Also, when changed once a week, the likelihood of the hearing aid battery dying just when you need the aid the most is significantly minimized.

In Summary - All hearing aids fit in our office since March 2002 include: 3 month clean and check appointments, batteries for the life of the hearing aid, yearly hearing screening, and all in-house Mid-Kansas Ear, Nose & Throat hearing aid services. Repairs needed outside the warranty by the manufacturer will involve additional charges.