When you’re ready to find an audiologist to help with your hearing health, where do you start? There are many out there to choose from, but it’s important to pick the best audiologist for you and your needs to ensure a positive and productive working relationship.
What is an audiologist?
There are many types of hearing health care professionals you can work with when you have questions or concerns about your hearing and hearing loss. One of those hearing healthcare professionals is an audiologist.
According to the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, “an audiologist is a professional who diagnoses and treats hearing and balance problems. An audiologist has received an Au.D. (Doctorate in Audiology), or a Master’s or Doctoral degree from an accredited university graduate program in audiology. Audiologists are trained to diagnose, manage and treat hearing or balance problems for individuals from birth through adulthood.”
They can be an essential part of your care team if you are trying to uncover or manage problems such as vertigo, inner ear problems or hearing loss. That’s why it is so important to pick the best audiologist for you.
How to find the best audiologist
It is never easy to find a health practitioner. Sometimes the task seems more like picking a needle out of a haystack, but with tips like these, you can find the best audiologist for you and your needs.
- Determine how far you want to travel: You may have your heart set on the world’s foremost, award-winning celebrity audiologist, but if they are hours away, that may not be a practical choice. Determine how far you’re comfortable traveling to get to your audiologist. Is it 30 minutes or four hours? Remember, there may be times that you have a more pressing need for a consultation or adjustment. This step can help you narrow down the field of candidates.
- Rely on referrals: If you’re like most people, you put a lot of stock in someone else’s referral. It could be for a restaurant, an event or an audiologist. Whether it’s a referral from your primary care physician, a family member or a friend, this can be a smart way to find an audiologist who has already been vetted in a way. Someone you know has had good experiences with this professional and trusts them with their own hearing health.
- Are they an approved provider: Don’t forget to check your insurance plan’s approved provider list. If you haven’t received a referral, this is an excellent way to start narrowing down the field of potential audiologists. If you have received a referral, this is a must to make sure you will not be paying 100% out of pocket for services such as hearing evaluations. Some insurance plans will also require that, as with other specialists, you receive a referral from your primary or similar health practitioner to make use of your insurance benefits.
- Do your research: As with any other business, do some research into a potential audiologist. How long have they been in business? What are their current patients saying about them? What are their qualifications and experience? All of this information can give you a better idea if this is the right audiologist for you.
Are you looking for a list of audiologists to get started? This resource from the American Academy of Audiology can help.
If you believe you have hearing loss or other hearing and balance problems, don’t put off seeing a hearing healthcare provider. These providers, including audiologists, can help manage and treat these problems to improve your quality of life. We are also more than happy to help. Please feel free to contact our office today!
