I talked with a Costco Hearing Aid center in St. Louis. They do not have an audiologist on staff, just hearing aid fitters.
Is that the norm? Is that the norm at independent providers?
Am I using the term audiologist to represent what are really hearing aid fitters, and it’s immaterial?
The Costco where I live is also staffed by hearing instrument specialists (HIS). I know the other Costcos in my city (in Canada), are also staffed by HIS rather than audiologists. The difference between the two is the amount of education they have. HIS usually have a 2-3 year long intense training program. Upon completion, they are able to diagnose and fit hearing aids for adults only. Audiologists, on the other hand, have their doctorate, which, as I understand includes more training to work with people throughout the lifespan, and in particular, children. I’m not sure how it is in the U.S., but in Canada, HIS can only treat adults, whereas audiologists can treat anyone. Plus, as a general rule, audis have more training in diagnosis of hearing disorders (otosclerosis, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, etc.), whereas HIS don’t have training in diagnosis. This is how the differences were described to me by my audiologist, who, until recently, was a HIS.
Is it immaterial? In my opinion, not necessarily. There are really good and really bad hearing instrument specialists and really good and really bad audiologists. (In my short time with hearing aids, I’ve encountered some of each.) There are also really good and really bad nurses, doctors, and lawyers, too. Just as in any other profession, one can have a great deal of knowledge and little to no ability to translate that knowledge into practice. I think as long as you find someone who you can get along with, who actually listens to you, who seems knowledgeable about hearing aids and hearing rehabilitation, and is able to get you hearing to your best ability, then their designation (HIS or Aud.D.) doesn’t matter.
Kerry
In other words, they do not hold a doctorate in audiology. And that may be one important area where places like Costco, or Sam’s Club possibly too, are able to then cut overhead costs.
In such instances I would then assume a “fitter” has no medical science background, then has no knowledge of the causes of a particular hearing loss, and what are the best plans of action for any particular patient.
What I wonder then is “who” is then properly qualified at such businesses to then give audiogram tests, etc? Are they 30 day wonders with little to no experience to be qualified to do such? Or does Costco then send you first to an audiologist for such hearing tests, and then go from there? I have no idea myself, as I never inquired with either Costco or Sam’s as to what procedures-protocol they follow?
All I can say, is online businesses such as Choice do send you to a legit closest, and qualified local business with audiologists on staff, and would assume other online companies do as well too. Seems Choice as you have touched on may select different audi’s in an area who have experience with the particular brands they sell, and audis that also have experience selling and programming-fitting them as well. In other words, they aren’t sending you to an audi who has never handled a particular brand.
My understanding is that the Au.D is an advanced degree in a specialty and not anything like an MD. They can’t prescribe or treat. You’ll often hear of a referral by them when they suspect something. Audiologist can also be holders of a masters degree. Seems to depend on what the college offers. A HIS is trained to dispense hearing aids. You will note that one of the more informed posters here is HISJustin. Our friend from Wales, Um Bono, hold an electronics degree and I’d visit him in a heartbeat. As Kerbear said: There are good and bad with both.
As I’ve said in other posts I still think adjusting ha’s is as much art as science. That said, I’d still rather go to an audi vs a hearing aid dispenser just like I prefer an ophthalmologist vs an optometrist in case anything out of the ordinary is found. Of course I’ve been to optometrists that have put ophthalmologists to shame. There are always exceptions.
With all due respect to my audiologist, the fitter I go to at Costco appears just as knowledgeable as it relates to programming hearing aids, and has really tweaked in my KS6 and Phonak Brio aids. And he did it with two appointments each; one for the initial fitting, and one to tweak up after I’d been out in the real world a while.
a good HIS can tune aids just as good and many times better than the AuD. It’s what they do.
I can’t disagree with what further has been said. Good and bad in both fields one can assume. And that also, no two people will possess the exact same knowledge. Great when you find someone who does know what they are doing.
2 Costco’s nearby. Both have and audiologist and a fitter on site.
Does anyone know of the Costcos in the St Louis area, if they have an audiologist on staff? Rusty Road location does not.