OKC hearing aid provider brings screenings to rural communities
It’s not a secret that Oklahoma faces challenges in providing health care to residents in rural communities, especially when it comes to access to specialists.
To help people living outside major metro areas get the help they need, Oklahoma City-based Hear Again is taking its services on the road. Every month, specialists travel to communities across Oklahoma, setting up in hotels or local clinics offering hearing services.
“Many of our patients are older. They don’t like to drive anymore, or can’t drive long distances,” said Lew Davis, owner of Hear Again, a family-owned and operated hearing aid provider. “We can’t expect them to make the trip to Oklahoma City to get the help they need. So we come to them.”
The Hear Again team brings all the equipment and services they offer at their metro locations with them.
“We regularly visit Alva, Woodward, Pauls Valley, Antlers, Duncan, Shawnee, Cordell, Stillwater, McAlester and Enid, Oklahoma,” Davis said. “Many patients in those areas would have to travel miles to get to the closest specialist.”
The average person with hearing loss waits five years before getting his hearing checked by a professional, longer when it is hard to find a specialist, Davis said. Hear Again makes it easy with mobile hearing testing.
“Hearing loss affects people in so many ways, but modern technology can make life so much easier,” said Davis.
At the mobile clinics, Hear Again offers a free hearing screening, as well as major repairs, hearing aid fittings and more. They also bring some accessories and hearing aid batteries with them.
“In fact, we can perform about 95 percent of our Hear Again services while visiting your community,” Davis said.
Patients will receive a confidential one-on-one consultation. You may talk about work history or exposure to loud sounds.
Patients receive a physical exam of the ears. During a hearing test, the hearing specialist will examine your ears using an otoscope.
The first part of the hearing test is typically a pure tone hearing test. You will be seated in a quiet environment, and the specialist will put a pair of headphones that are connected to an audiometer.
The specialist may also perform some speech testing. The test is designed to determine how well you understand speech in a noisy environment.
Depending on how the screening goes the specialist may recommend a hearing device or recommend more testing.
“It’s important that people have access to such services no matter where they are. We even do house calls if needed,” Davis said.
Jack and Wanda Merchant, of Woodward, are both customers who have taken advantage of the offer.
“It’s really a service we need around here. They are always busy when they are in town,” Jack Merchant said.
“They set us up with everything we needed, and we’ve never had a problem. They are always happy to help. No questions asked,” Merchant said.
These days the couple make a point of stopping by the Hear Again location in Oklahoma City when they are in town as to visit a friend.
“They really treat us well,” Merchant said.
Hear Again will be at the Hampton Inn in Duncan on April 12, at the Memorial Hospital Clinic in Cordell on April 14, at the Holiday Inn Express in Woodward on April 15 and at the Hampton Inn in Elk City on April 21.
Hear Again visits the communities about once every six weeks. Check their calendar at www. hearagainok.com or call (405) 748-5920 or toll free at (855) 748-5920.