John … I’ve had bad experiences at my local VA too. If I was continuing to have VA issues I think I would start asking for help with my congressman or the Surgeon General.
I think the VA is fine for doing the audio-gram but when it comes to programming digital hearing aids that’s way out of their league at my local VA. I initially tried writing down what I didn’t like or liked about them and let them make adjustments but after 4 or 5 visits without any success I got sat down and lectured to about being difficult to work with. Never been told that by anyone in my life before.
With my latest HA’s when I asked for 4 separate programs, that I could switch to manually, I got told I didn’t need that … the aids would program themselves over time and automatically switch to the correct settings when I got into each environment. I gave that a try but it was horrible … especially since I’m a musician and when playing live I need a special program for that with many of the special features turned off. After that experience I acquired everything I needed to do my own programming and learned how to do what I needed to do. Since I saved the VA’s last programming … I reload that when I go back in for visits and if asked I tell them I don’t need any adjustments … they’re perfect and that seems to make them happy. When I get home I reload my programming and then I’m happy. It’s too bad that my experience fits a lot of others with VERY useless help and self-serving audiologists at VA clinics. They just don’t get it.