Why do most audiologist refuse to reprogram online purchases?

Hearing Aids
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#94

My own experiential conclusion is that chasing the “perfect” HAs settings is most likely a no-win situation. Acoustic landscapes are very dynamic even one on one and whether person is articulating or slightly turning their head and the frequency structure of what they are saying AND how familiar I am with the topic we are discussing and what they might typically be conveying. For me there is a range of settings that seems to be perhaps?? good enough; meaning that they are optimal for moment “X” and less so for moment “Y” whereas for some other choice of settings that might be reversed. Of course we hope for the magic bullet that is a sweet spot for a very wide range of moments.

I have shifted my hearing strategy to continue to include the vital importance of my HAs and to perhaps every 6-8 months wondering about changes in settings based on primarily objective testing of my hearing, but in between time focus on what I can do from moment “X” to moment “Y” to improve the communication. As with my eyesight, letting go of too much efforting and straining to hear and understand tends to improve things along with focused attention on what is coming through clearly (as if I am telling my brain “thank you for that clarity, would love more of that”). Don’t get me wrong, I still have frustrations with hearing and HAs and ask for things to be repeated etc. but somehow softening my attitude toward what I experience has me happier about my communications. Sometimes when hearing every word accurately is not an issue e.g. I am not following instructions, giving some attention to the feeling being expressed create more of a connection with someone than decoding clearly each word. All of this is easier with those whom I am close to rather than newly met people and there is a clarity threshold below which I find that I have almost completely lost the person, yet allowing what I hear clearly be somewhat dynamic is often ok. Sometimes I move into a mode of hearing someone as if I am listening to music and allow my attention to shift to different aspects of the “vocal instrument.”

Seems like from what you wrote, you have good self observation on what hearing is and isn’t working for you … hope you find the sweet spots as you go forward.

Edit PS my comment has moved this thread far off from what the OP started with; my apologies.

#95

Yes. But that is the SAME situation for folks with perfect hearing, I’m thinking! I actually think I can achieve a level of “perfection” for my relative situation. I may not hear like someone without aids, but my hearing is very nuanced - it’s just from a different level/perspective.

I totally agree with your sentiment on “CONNECTING” to the individuals or settings in which we are communicating. That sets the context and helps our brain fill in the blanks as needed. We pick up cues from facial expressions and inflection, and like a bloodhound, those cues are what we train our ears to hear, like a hound picks up scent to track. :slightly_smiling_face:

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#97

Your source for this misinformation?

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#99

Yeah, calls coming into our office are recorded.

I get the other issue too–we’ve had some reception change-over which means a lot of training. When patients tell me that they didn’t feel heard on the phone it’s useful for me, I take steps to address those issues with staff member training. We did indeed have someone on staff ages ago who would yell at the patients when she got flustered, but she didn’t last long.

The ones that are friendly to clinicians and rude to staff are a very small subset (happily), and generally repeat offenders.

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#100

Bob Dylan added: “I let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours”. :wink:

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#101

Things may change if this goes into effect.

#102

Thank you @BeachBum, I wasn’t aware of that…. I am wasn’t a massive fan of Robert Zimmerman, but I did love some of his stuff…. Cheers Kev :wink:

#103

@Neville: I have tried, on several occasions, to address my issues with the audiologist, but he always sides with the receptionist. Calls are not recorded - it’s a small outfit - so it’s my word against hers.

#104

I’m sorry about that.

#105

@Neville: Well, it’s going to cost him a customer, but I don’t think he cares. He told me when he called me to give me hell for telling the receptionist (kindly and politely) that I expected a callback that day - 4 days after having left a message - “I expect to have only one interaction with a patient at an an appointment, not 3 or 4.” (… this referring to the questions I often have about what he’s done to my aids, since he doesn’t explain that very well during the appointment, and I often don’t know what is going on until after I have worn them for a few days. Then, I ask a question like “How come DSL v5, just reinstalled, doesn’t sound like it did back in February? Is something different this time?”).

So, he’s losing what he considers a “high maintenance” client, and won’t care. I have informed Veterans Affairs Canada that I’m shopping for a new audiologist, and they reassured me that is entirely my prerogative.

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#106

I think it may have to with them not wanting to deal with a problem child. Why take on a client that won’t make you money and already has a history of being unsatisfied? There really isn’t any positive for the audi.

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#107

@mr.smithster: To whom are you responding with your post?

#108

Just posting in general to the OP

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#109

@mr.smithster: Sorry - I just was not connecting any dots.

#110

No prob, I did kinda jump in the middle

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#111

My new audiologist expects and wants 3-4 contacts per appointment. Why? Because that’s usually the number of iterations it takes to get it right, because it’s difficult to pin down in words exactly what isn’t working, so it boils down to trial and error.

We’ll see what it’s like when the rubber meets the road.

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#112

I just saw this. My guy was far superior in experience and programming (for me) than the local Dr. Cliff audi recommended guy, who had the gall to tell me that REM wasn’t necessary. Boy, did I complain to Dr. Cliff. Anyway, I took a chance, purchased the More 1s at 2400, which I know is more than the Costco K10s at 1400, but I felt for my purposes the More 1s would be better as I am a classical musician. I was right. I am grateful for him. If anyone wants his info PM me.

Regarding programming. I don’t really do it, but I have the equipment to swap out Oticon App programs. Hey, it’s a start.

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#113

Where I live for about 150 mile radius one audiology group has 95 percent market share which doesn’t give much wiggle room for people of limited financial means.

I doubt with being basically only audiologists around that they are living in a hovel with babies starving to death. Philanthropy is a good thing now and then in whatever way possible.

My philanthropy is helping as I can with yard work and trimming bushes so not overgrown with weeds.

Do what I can and I wish the same for apparently thriving businesses.

#114

I know this is an old post but I wanted to comment on this.

If we go back in time, the audiologists had a monopoly on the whole process and they charged the price they wanted, and we paid this price because we had no choice. I believe that I am not the only one to think that these prices are exaggerated. That’s why it’s becoming popular to buy and program ourselves. My audiologist charged me 600$ cad to program the first pair that I bought on the internet, for my second pair I invested this money in a noalink and I changed computers. At that time the Geni 2 was available directly from Oticon, why now we can’t find it, the audiologists have complained, he is losing money and that’s why he doesn’t want to program these aids, they want to discourage this practice, but they too at some point will have to adapt to this new reality as many other businesses have done

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#115

Yeah that’s it. Blame the audiologist. And that’s exactly why they hesitate to do this