Services
Hearing Evaluations
Our clinic is equipped with four sound treated booths to assure test accuracy. Hearing ability can be evaluated through traditional techniques such as repeating words at various loudness levels, or responding to soft tones over a range of pitches. For those that have difficulty with traditional test techniques (such as young children or stroke patients) we can evaluate hearing through objective electrophysiological techniques such as recording brain waves in response to sound, or measuring small responses from the inner ear to soft sound. A graph of your hearing ability, known as an Audiogram, will be explained to you by an Audiologist. The most common type of hearing loss results in the inability to hear high frequency sounds as well as lower pitch sounds. This results in the inability to distinguish speech clearly, particularly when there is background noise present. People with high frequency hearing loss often complain, “I hear you loud enough, I just don’t understand what you are saying.” Hearing loss usually comes on slowly, and is first noticed by family and friends. The most common causes of hearing loss are age and noise exposure. Early signs of significant hearing loss include asking people to repeat or speak louder, turning the TV up louder than others like it, reduced enjoyment of group social gatherings, and accusing people of mumbling.
Hearing Aids
There are many different styles of hearing aids available. They differ in size, performance and cost. Hearing aid prices range from about $ 500 per aid up to $2500 per aid. The Audiologist or licensed hearing aid specialist on staff will help you find the hearing aid that is most suitable for your cosmetic, hearing and budget preferences. Workers Compensation and many United Mine Workers policies cover the cost of hearing aids and related services. Medicare, Medicaid, PEIA and most commercial insurances do not cover hearing aids or related expenses. When considering the purchase of hearing aids, remember the following:
- You will need follow up service, both during the adjustment period and for maintenance. Make sure your dispenser has a full time office, staffed full time by someone licensed and trained to fit and repair hearing aids. Make sure you purchase from someone that you can count on to be there when you need them. An established practice is more likely to be there for you in the future than a dispenser new or part time to the area.
- It does not cost more to see a trained and well equipped Audiologist than a less established dispenser. Our costs are competitive with and often lower than our competitors for similar style hearing aids.
Hearing Aid Options
- Power Circuit - A high power amplifier is used for those patients who, because of extra volume requirements, were traditionally restricted to behind the ear style hearing aids. Cost $100
- Trim Pots - various controls may be added to conventional hearing aids to allow for more flexibility in fitting and sound adjustments. The dispenser will make specific recommendations. Cost $25 per trim pot
- Engraving - Your name will be printed on each instrument along with the serial number. This is a good option for people living in residential facilities where their hearing aids might be misplaced. Cost $25
- Telecoil - A telecoil functions by turning off the microphone of the hearing aid and directly picking up the electromagnetic signal from the telephone. This eliminates the possibility of feedback (whistling) and interference from other sounds in the room. Price varies depending on circuit choice (cost $100).
Complete CARE Package
The goal of the complete CARE package (CCP) is to provide 100% worry free service from your hearing instruments. We know that advanced digital hearing instruments are a significant investment and we want you to be sure that your investment is protected.
Included in the CCP is a 30 day trial period. By having 30 days to try the instruments, you don’t have to worry about purchasing something that fails to live up to your expectations.
We provide 3 years free office visits. Any cleanups, adjustments, in house repairs, and of course, answering any questions you might have are covered under the purchase price for 3 years.
The instruments are covered under a 3 year factory repair warranty. On average a custom hearing instrument goes back to the factory for a repair once in the first 3 years, at a cost of $150 to $250. Any and all factory repairs are covered under the CCP.
Even if you lose or damage the instruments, we will replace them. The CCP offers a 3 year insurance against lost or damaged instruments. Like most insurance, there is a deductible, which increases as the instruments get older. The deductible in the first year is $200 per instrument, $350 per instrument in the second year, and $500 per instrument in the third year. Even with the deductible, the saving versus needing to purchase a new instrument is substantial. This policy is good for replacements one time only.
Finally, we provide a 3 year supply of batteries. We will supply one carton of 40 batteries per instrument per year for the first 3 years. This will cover most instruments. Even buying batteries at a bulk discount, this represents a value of $240.
The CCP is included in the purchase price on all private pay advanced digital instruments (Radius line), but can be purchased on entry level instruments at the time of sale for $300 per instrument.
Financing
Economy Purchase Plan - Part of what you are paying for when you purchase a hearing aid is follow up service. If you do not want or need this service, you can deduct $100 from the cost of the fitting. This only applies to conventional circuits and applies per person, not per instrument.
Short term - If you can not pay for the instruments in full at the time of delivery, let us know. We can, in some cases, allow the hearing aids to be paid for in the following manner: half paid on delivery, the rest paid in five equal payments over the next five months. No interest is applied.
Long Term - we offer long term financing through Citicard. The hearing aids can be paid for monthly over 48 months. Standard credits charges (about 13% annually as of Fall, 2005) apply. For example, a pair of digital hearing aids costing $2500 would be about $67 per month for 48 months (total cost with interest charges added - $3,216). The minimum amount financed is $1250. Credit must be approved by Citicard.
Evaluation and Treatment of Dizziness and Balance Disorders
We specialize in evaluation and treatment of dizziness and balance disorders. Our facility offers diagnostic procedures unavailable elsewhere in West Virginia. In fact, the closest clinic with comparable facilities is at the University of Virginia, nearly 4 hours drive. Our clinic director, Dr. Alan Desmond (Audiologist) has numerous publications and frequently lectures to other Audiologists about treating dizziness and balance disorders. His book, Vestibular Function: Evaluation and Treatment, was released internationally in 2004.
Common complaints of dizziness include vertigo (a spinning sensation), gait and postural instability (feeling unsteady when on your feet or walking), and lightheadedness (feeling faint and off balance when you stand up quickly. There are many possible causes for these complaints, and the evaluation can be time consuming. Our treatment program is so effective that our results have been published nationally. The most common cause of vertigo is a condition known as benign positional vertigo (BPV). BPV causes a brief sensation of spinning associated with tilting the head back, lying down or rolling over in bed. Our success rate in curing this condition is 98%. Not all causes of dizziness enjoy such a high cure rate.
