We now find ourselves in a time and age of self-directed (or consumer-driven) health care within our society. Thanks to “Dr. Google,” MANY consumers are experiencing some success in the ability to self-determine their own health needs independently. Health professionals are considered a necessity only when the self-directed care does not yield the expected results. Audiology is now entering into this service delivery that optometry, dentistry, and other health professions have navigated through within their discipline for quite some time.
Topic(s): audiology, Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act, Patient-Centered Care
In the United States, distribution of hearing aids is facilitated primarily through audiologists, physicians, and hearing aid dealers. There is confusion, however, in the marketplace over the “branding” of each group. Proper branding addresses inaccurate statements, positions, and perceptions, while differentiating between the profession of an audiologist and the occupation of a hearing aid dealer.
Topic(s): Hearing Aids, Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act, Board Certification, audioprosthologist, Audiologist
