Finding an audiologist

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avenable

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Just wondering how you guys go about finding an audiologist that you like?

I'm a HOH guy with Left side complete deafness and Right sided severe/profound needing an audiogram and a new hearing aid. I've had the same aid for 9 years now!! :O
 
you should be find out contact to server or doctor knew!
 
my doc gave me 5 names and numbers, I looked up their websites and personal profiles on those sites and chose a HOH audi with children that are hoh, 30 years experience and about 6 different certificates. I will meet her in 3 weeks and I hope I chose wisely.

For me I wanted someone with experience and who knows what they are doing both in training and in personal experience. The other 4 offices I looked at were only pushing 1 or two types of aids and looked to be gaining $$$ from the companies. I would rather a good fit at a place that doesn't get pay offs than a not so well fit at a place that is cheaper because they get pay offs for selling certain brands.
 
Do you have any deaf friends or family who could give recommendations?

For most of my childhood, I had the same audi that was recommended by my pediatrician.

He retired, however, when I was in college and I spent a good 15 years after that looking for a decent one. I'd go to one I found in the phone book, didn't like them, go to another, didn't like them, and so on.

I finally found a FABULOUS audi through a recommendation by a friend. I swear, I will never change audis again unless she leaves the business!

Anyways, if the above isn't applicable, the phone book (whether the old-fashioned pages or online) is a place to start - keep trying them until you find one you like. An initial visit to a new audi shouldn't cost you anything unless you are replacing items like tubes or earmolds or HAs. (And, a great audi won't even charge for replacing the tubing!) Mine doesn't. :)
 
Recommendations are your best bet.

As someone with inside knowledge I can tell you even those that aren't owned by a hearing aid company usually have a contractual arrangement with two or maybe three of them and will offer those aids to you. The few that are truly 'independent' will often only be running a part time clinic and access for appointments and service can vary.

The best bet is to find an Aud you feel you can trust. Harder said than done sometimes.
 
It can be very frustrating to find a good audiologist. I looked a long time to see if I could find a list of what a "best practice" audigram would cover.

As far as I know, neither of the two professional organizations for audis has it on their web sites. (American Academy of Audiology , American Speech-Language-Hearing Association | ASHA)

But I did find one here:

Demystifying Hearing Testing

Before you agree to take an audiogram, see if the audiologist will include all of the tests listed in the above article.

As far as the bone conduction test goes, at any frequency where you're hearing loss is greater than 60 dBs, the bone conduction test "doesn't work". That's because any sound at 60 dB or higher through ear inserts will vibrate your skull, so of course you will "hear" it. (40 dB is the limit of usefullness of that test when given with headphones).

Other than that, a basic audiogram should include all of those tests -- but AFAIK, not all audis give them. This can be one way to screen audiologists -- they're response to that article.

Other than that -- word of mouth is a good way to go. Do you know anyone nearby who has a similar hearing loss to yours? Do they appear to be able to hear well (or as well as can be expected) in many listening situations?

And it probably is a good idea to see if the recommended audi is a member of the American Acadmey of Audiology and American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Make sure that they carry brands that can be fitted to profound/servere losses. If you are interested in BI-CROS hearing aids since you are deaf on one side, ask them if they carry those type of hearing aids and have experience in fitting them.

Good luck!
 
Thank you all for the useful input.

Unfortunately family/friends not much use right now as I am traveling around for school and always in a new city. Ended up going to american academy of audiology website and calling 5 places on that list. I went with the place that called me back first... not one picked up the phone when calling, can you believe that?

Anyway, I visited him yesterday and he was awesome. Will be trying out the phonak versata in a few days. I am a little bit miffed though, apparently the hearing aid companies do not make analogs anymore. Guess I will have to finally retire my "old school HA" and go digital :( To be fair though, I am one of those who makes hearing aid last for 8-10 years and the last time I tried digital was in 2003 when buying the current HA. So hopefully, digital has come a long way since then.

Cheers everyone!
 
Analog hearing aids are still sold. If that is what you really want, I suggest finding out where the people on Medicaid in your state get their hearing aids. In some states, such as NY, depending upon what company is their Medicaid HMO, analog hearing aids are often their only option.

I would assume that you could get a pair of analog hearing aids from the chain HearX. I never heard of anyone who really liked their audi at HearX though. You could also do a search on a hearing aid brand name and analog hearing aids and see what comes up. I just did that and got results.

I suggest giving digitals a try though. My understanding is:

* That it's usually a lot easier to match the hearing aids gain to a hearing loss with digital aids.

* It's also easier to make speech sounds easier to hear in an noisy environment and individual sounds more crisp with digital aids. (For example, in the old days low frequency sounds would often overpower high frequency sounds due to the limitation of the hearing aids' technology. Just another reason why amplification would frustrate people and just result in their often "hearing noise but not words.")

Analog hearing aids can only use hardware to manipulate sound. Digital aids can use both hardware and software to manipulate sound.

Of course, I'm not an audi and I obviously could be misinformed or not up to date on the latest info, but that has basically been what I've been told from various sources.

Good luck! I hope you continue to post back how the new search comes along.
 
I have also the same problem regarding audiologist. I would like some advice form more experienced users. Thanks.
 
When I've changed Audies, I set up initial (free) appointments with them and basically "interview them". I ask the questions that are important to me, and then go from there.

One of the things I look for is an Audie who understands how unique each Hoh/d/Deaf person is, and works with the individual to find what is right for them - even if it isn't what a textbook says etc.

I also don't put up with Audies who see being Hoh/d/Deaf as something that is "defective" or needs to be "fixed" or "hidden" (ie pretending to be hearing) for the person to have a good life.

Most if not all of my Audies have studied at least a bit of ASL, and learned about the Hoh and Deaf Community in the area they live/work in as well as the Cultural aspects of being Hoh/d/Deaf.

It's important to me that My Audie isn't Audist, and rather views HL holistically (not as a medical defect). Also that they inform their clients - especially ones with young Hoh/d/Deaf kids - that there are many ways of living with hearing loss, many different communication methods, as well as local resources (kids Hoh/Deaf play groups, parent supports, classes for ASL, and speechreading, etc).
 
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