Why See a Licensed Audiologist for Your Hearing Needs?
Best Hearing Center, Inc. is co-owned and operated by Dr. Audrey G. Freeman, Au.D., a licensed audiologist. She possesses a doctorate degree in audiology and has been a practicing audiologist for over 24 years. A doctorate degree in audiology is the highest clinical certification currently available at this time. Dr. Freeman provides caring, consultative hearing care in a no-pressure environment, and offer her patients only the best service.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a regulatory consumer protection agency of the U.S. Government assists consumers each year helping to protect them against fraudulent business practices. The following is a link to an FTC article on why you should seek expert advice from a licensed audiologist before being fitted with hearing aids: http://www.lawpublish.com/ftchear.html. For further info, go to the FTC web site at www.ftc.gov.
Is YOUR audiologist professionally licensed? In the State of Illinois, audiologists are required to possess a professional license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. To check the license status of your audiologist, click on this link, https://www.idfpr.com/dpr/licenselookup/default.asp and select the profession AUDIOLOGIST in the pull-down menu, and simply type in their name.
What can you expect when you see a licensed audiologist?
A licensed audiologist, in addition to conducting a hearing test or other tests should examine each patient's ears, and determine if a possible medical problem may exist before fitting a patient with hearing aids. If a problem does exist, the audiologist will refer the patient to a licensed physician (typically an Ear-Nose Throat (ENT) physician) for a medical examination, and for written clearance for the use of hearing aids. Licensed Audiologists can also remove ear wax, (one cause of hearing loss) under most conditions, which cannot be legally performed by practitioners with lesser licensing credentials. Tumors, hematomas, perforated ear drums, asymmetric hearing loss (different hearing loss in each ear) and other medical conditions must be treated, and/or the patient formally released for hearing aid use by a licensed physician. A licensed audiologist should never force a patient to sign a waiver for hearing aid fitting if a medical problem is evident during an ear exam. If you do feel forced into signing such a waiver, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, as well as your local Better Business Bureau.
You can have confidence in a Licensed Audiologist.
Licensed audiologists have the required experience, education and training as well as the proper equipment to diagnose hearing loss, and fit patients with appropriate hearing aids for their particular needs.
Licensed Audiologists are qualified to perform hearing tests and examinations. These hearing tests enable the audiologist to select, program, and fit a hearing aid to a patient's particular needs. In order to maintain their license, audiologists are required to take a number of hours of continuing education in their field each year. In fact, many state governments, associations, and insurance companies are very closely considering requiring a doctorate degree in this field, in order to receive or renew licenses.
Licensed Audiologists will strongly recommend that their patients come back for follow up visits, for the purpose of cleaning and checking the hearing aid, and/or adjusting it to better meet the patients needs.
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