In a rapid state of flux, the face of healthcare is responding to the advent of big box stores entering into the area of patient services. This means you can now head into any large box store such as Costco or Walmart and obtain a variety of services such as eye care. You can even get fitted for a hearing aid. But take heed: this so-called fast food approach to ear care is deeply flawed in that it doesn’t offer you the benefits you get by going to a trained Hearing Instrument Specialist instead.
Professional Care
The number one reason you should seek a professional HIS over an employee at a big box store is that HISs are more qualified and have studied the inner workings of the ear extensively. This means they can determine the root cause of your hearing impairment instead of insist you simply resort to a hearing aid. Because they’re not salespeople like those in the big box stores, your HIS will be dedicated to providing help to you if you have a hearing problem. An additional benefit of seeing an HIS is that he can provide you with a proper diagnosis on your hearing loss, then send you to another specialist for treatment if possible.
Quality Products
Another top reason you should avoid a big box store for hearing health is that these stores don’t have access to the highest quality hearing products. Many times have been documented where a person gets a hearing aid from a big box store and gets a product that is sub par in some way. It may have interference or low quality sound, for example. While this isn’t true of every store, an educated HIS can make the necessary adjustments for hearing ability optimization. The big picture shows us that products an HIS has access to are far superior to products you will come across in a big box store.
Cost Effectiveness
A final reason it’s wise to consider avoiding a big box store is that those stores tend to charge more for their hearing aid products. The problem lies not in the device itself, but in their practice of roping people into purchasing different package deals under the false premise of saving them trouble.
When you obtain a hearing aid from a qualified HIS, you may experience a higher upfront cost, but these products are typically covered under your health insurance, actually making it less expensive. Plus, the products are higher in quality. Your HIS shouldn’t aim to simply sell you products, but to give you an optimized way of life that will boost your health potential. Consider all these reasons and more why you should never get ear care from a big box store.