4 Questions to Ask When Choosing an Audiologist

When it comes to finding an audiologist you want to ensure that you are getting the right one for you. Ideally, you want to find one whose goals and treatment plans are in line with what you want and need.

So, what can you do to help you find the right audiologist for you? From asking questions to checking services offered, there are a number of ways you can ensure you’re choosing the right professional, including asking these four questions:

1. Where is the office located and what hours are they open? When selecting an audiologist, it’s crucial to find one that is located in a convenient place for your daily life – including your commute to work or home. Additionally important, you want to consider if the audiologist offers any evening or weekend appointments. If missing work to visit the audiologist isn’t an option for you, finding one close to your home or office with weekend or evening hours could be exactly what you need.
2. What fees are associated with the visit? It is important to know all of the costs and fees upfront prior to booking an appointment. Ask about appointment fees, cancellation fees, late fees and any type of fee that you can think of that may be relevant. Sometimes there may be a no fee for the hearing test, but there is a fee for the hearing aid fitting appointment. Or there may be a fee for being late but no fee if you cancel 24 hours prior. It’s important to ask if they accept any type of insurance and how that is billed.
3. What kind of experience do they have? It is always important to check the experience of the audiologist because you want to ensure they have the proper education and training before they work on you and your ears. You want to ensure they are properly certified to be practicing in your area. Additionally, check to see what kind of experience they gathered while earning their degree and if any of that helps you feel comfortable or allows them to treat your hearing loss better.
4. What do you specialize in? Some audiologists specialize in a particular field of the auditory system, so be clear with them what your goals, wants and needs are and see if they match the audiologist’s qualifications. As an adult you may not want to see an audiologist that specializes in young children, just the same you do not want to send your child to someone that specializes in adult head trauma patients.

Finding the right audiologist for you doesn’t have to be an arduous job, especially when you do your research and prepare beforehand. Once you’ve located an audiologist in your area that you feel comfortable with schedule an appointment and start your path to better hearing!