How to Find the Right Audiologist

Finding the right audiologist for your specific needs can be an overwhelming endeavor. With so many different ones to choose from in each area, it’s difficult to determine which one will have your best interests at heart and will work the best for you. While you can never be 100 percent sure until you meet with the audiologist for an appointment, there are a number of things you can do to increase your chances of finding the right one the first time. 

Check out patient reviews

Just a decade ago, you would have to find someone that’s been going to that particular audiologist to determine if they had a good reputation or not. Today, because of excellent websites and search engines, you can find reviews and testimonials without ever leaving your home. Once you find reviews, read each one carefully and see what each person liked and disliked about their visit. While you can’t trust every single review that you read online, you should be able to come to a general consensus from all of the reviews. 

Request a referral 

Many health insurance providers require you to have a referral before you can see a specialist such as an audiologist. While your insurance provider may or may not ask for it, it never hurts to ask your primary care physician for a referral. This gives your primary care doctor the opportunity to investigate your hearing problems and better determine if an audiologist will be able to resolve these problems. Your doctor will also probably have a recommended audiologist that they have a history of sending patients to, so take that recommendation into consideration. 

Look for established practices

New medical offices seem to pop-up all the time and sometimes they disappear just as fast as they popped up. Make sure that you find one with an established practice when you’re researching an audiologist to go see. Someone with a strong reputation and a history of doing outstanding work goes a long way in this field, so don’t take it lightly. While there are some excellent new practices out there, you won’t know they’re excellent until you’ve taken your time and money and checked it out yourself.  

Get a second opinion

If you end up going to (or have already gone to) an audiologist that you weren’t happy with, try seeking out a second opinion. As with any profession, not every audiologist may be the right fit for you, so a second opinion might be helpful. If nothing else, it will give you some peace of mind if you’re recommended the same course of treatment by two completely different audiologists.  

While it all can seem extremely daunting at first, the overall process for finding a fantastic audiologist should only last a week or two. After that, you’ve established yourself with a good audiologist that you can continue going to for any future issues that arise