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As printed in Hearing Health, volume 19:3,
Fall 2003
By Donna L. Schillinger
The sale of hearing aids over the Internet is a fairly
recent phenomenon while the purported reason for its
growth – shoppers seeking lower prices –
is not. Online purchasing represents the latest way
for bargain hunters to get door-to-door delivery of
new instruments without the expense of an office visit
to a medical or hearing healthcare professional.
Given the vast reach of the Internet, it is not surprising
that sales are growing rapidly. Whereas in 1997, “distance”
purchasing had less than 1 percent of the market share,
guesstimates based on 2002 consumer polling are that
approximately 185,000 hearing aid shoppers in the U.S.
are currently interested in purchasing a hearing aid
over the Internet.
Is cyber shopping the answer, however, for people seeking
the best solutions for hearing loss or do the risks
outweigh the potential benefits? The buying trend is
causing concern among many hearing healthcare professionals
who caution that distance purchasing does not provide
any of the basics needed for successful management of
hearing loss. Indeed, some online purveyors do not require
so much as a hearing test.
In the April 2003 edition of the online publication
Healthy Hearing, audiologists Chartrand, Glaser
and Beck stated the risk succinctly: “The Internet
provides additional opportunity for … consumers
to acquire hearing aids and … amplification devices
without regulatory safety nets and without professional
services.” From the dispenser’s point of
view, one dangerous result can be dissatisfied consumers
who cease to wear hearing aids at all and neglect their
hearing loss.
Although quality of service and fitting is important
to people shopping for hearing aids, affordability is
often the main issue. Considering limited insurance
coverage and the high cost of the microtechnology utilized
in today’s instruments, hearing impairment can
be an expensive disability to manage over the long term.
For example, the 2002 results of Hearing Review’s
annual survey of dispensers across the U.S. show that
average prices for analog aids range from $917 for an
in-the-ear (ITE) model to $1331 for a completely-in-the-canal
(CIC) device while programmable devices average $1432
and digital aids average $2159.
It’s clear that new hearing instruments can put
a substantial dent in the household budget. And they
certainly are not a one-time-only purchase; wearers
are likely to buy hearing aids about as often as they
update their car or computer. That is a good thing explains
audiologist Rose L. Allen, Ph.D., in a May 2002 AudiologyOnline
article, “Hearing Aids: Reasonable Expectations
for the Consumer.” She wrote, “Hearing aid
technology changes rapidly … and new technology
may benefit you greatly. … Some people may keep
the same pair of hearing aids for 10 to 12 years …
but the average life expectancy is about five years.”
This rigorous rate of technological innovation may
drive people to look for ways to save money while trying
to “keep up.” Turning to online marketers,
shoppers can find competitively priced hearing aids
made by most major manufacturers and some independent
companies who only sell via the web.
Whether it’s BTE or ITE, analog or digital, name
brand or generic, it can be found on the Internet with
the standard industry assurances of trial periods and
warranties. Comparison shoppers should be aware, however,
that bottom line figures on Internet purchases seldom
reflect testing, fitting and follow-up service fees
that are included in hearing aid packages offered by
most dispensers.
Cautious Satisfaction
It can be hard to find hearing aid cyber buyers who
are not satisfied with their online purchases. Calls
for consumer reports – good, bad or indifferent
– that I posted on mainstream senior sites and
bulletin boards (e.g., www.About.com,
etc.) and “insider” listservs for hearing
issues (e.g., Hearing Exchange, www.hearingexchange.com,
bhnews, www.egroups.com/group/bhNEWS,
etc.) yielded mostly positive reviews.
“Toadie” shared comments that proved typical.
>> It was very simple. I would have rather had
digitals, of course, but my aids were purchased for
use during sports and working out and they work. The
earmolds are surprisingly comfortable. By this time
they have taken quite a beating so I am satisfied. All
I did was a web search. Then I had someone call for
me to see if the place was really there. I would never
recommend buying hearing aids without seeing an audiologist,
however. As I had just replaced my good aids, I had
a recent evaluation.//
Robert’s distance purchasing started out in mail
order but morphed to online. >> I began dealing
with Lloyd Hearing Aid Corporation after a less than
positive experience with a local hearing aid specialist
almost 10 years ago where I wound up with an aid that
worked poorly on the phone. After a self-education program
on hearing aids, I wound up with a better hearing aid
with a T-Coil from Lloyd for less. And over the years
I have purchased more aids from Lloyd … with no
complaint. These were all analog aids that I could adjust
myself, even though Lloyd presets them based on the
audiogram supplied. Would I go the mail-order or Internet
route on programmable aids? Only if I had a local hearing
health professional willing, for a fee, to tweak the
settings if needed.//
Even consumers like Susan who have not yet placed an
online order cautiously consider it a viable option.
>> I might buy a hearing aid from the Internet
in limited circumstances – if I wanted a basic
analog as a backup. But then again, I’m an experienced,
lifelong hearing aid user. The technology is changing
fast and there are so many options that I think it’s
worth it to go to an audiologist and ask about them.
I also think that newer hearing aid users should not
buy from the Internet.//
Risky Behavior?
Like Toadie, Robert and Susan, most consumers probably
would never order a hearing aid without consulting a
professional. In a recent poll on bhnews, 75 percent
of respondents said they would “never purchase
a hearing aid online.” Of the remaining 25 percent,
only half would do so without having a recent examination
by a professional. There is an indisputable risk in
self-diagnosing and self-prescribing. Hearing loss is
often associated with other conditions and illnesses,
like infections, fractures, tumors and rare syndromes
that might go undetected without an examination by a
healthcare provider.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulations
that provide a safety net for all hearing aid consumers
to help ensure that they take appropriate steps to rule
out other medical problems associated with hearing loss.
The FDA requires a recent statement signed by a physician
confirming that the patient’s ears have been evaluated
and are clear for being fit with hearing aids, though
they do not address the need for a hearing test.
Most online vendors do not require such a statement
nor do many dispensers. “If you are over the age
of 18, you may be given the opportunity to sign a medical
evaluation waiver that will allow the audiologist [or
hearing instrument specialist] to proceed with your
hearing aid fitting,” writes Allen. The FDA allows
such an exception with the caveat that “dispensers
must advise the patient that waiving the examination
is not in his best interest.”
Even if cleared by a physician or waiving the medical
exam, new consumers in particular need face-to-face
contact with a professional for initial hearing tests
and later for adjustment of their aids, to insure proper
amplification while limiting output volumes to safe
levels. Hearing aid orientation and counseling is also
essential during the early stages of acclimation to
amplification.
Win-Win Solution
Some Internet companies address the need to provide
professional services while retaining appeal with the
online shopper by collaborating with hearing healthcare
providers. Hearing Planet, www.hearingplanet.com,
for one, uses a nationwide network of audiologists,
allowing this cyber marketer to offer screening and
follow-up in addition to volume dealer savings.
This may be the best of both worlds. For the professional,
it is a way of reaching bargain-hunting consumers that
might otherwise bypass hearing healthcare services.
For the industry, it is one example of how new models
can emerge to meet the needs and buying preferences
of today’s consumer while maintaining quality
care.
Successful hearing aid use, no matter the point of
purchase, and resulting customer satisfaction is good
for everyone in the hearing health equation. Hearing-impaired
consumers and their friends, family and co-workers enjoy
improved communication and quality of life. And their
positive word-of-mouth reports encourage others to seek
ways to manage their hearing loss, benefiting manufacturers
and service providers alike.
Related articles:
What to Know
Before You Buy Any Hearing Aid
Just How
Much Can You Save Online?
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