There are consistent themes which run though our blog posts; why people choose our practice, how our approach differs, real-life reviews, research study data surrounding hearing and listening, the correlation between hearing and other health issues as well as the influence hearing well has on our general well-being.
Sometimes we’re asked why we rarely feature hearing aids and technology when their supply is central to why Hearing Healthcare Practice exists in the first place. There are a few reasons:
• Firstly, technology advances so quickly that posts will quickly become outdated.
• Secondly, technical features are largely irrelevant in isolation—it’s the resulting benefit these features provide that’s more important.
•Finally, every other hearing company’s site feature the same details repeated over and over again and we don’t want to repeat what already exists in abundance.
So, our site presents a different resource . We attempt to challenge the status quo in our approach and that applies to what we write about here too.
Choice Overload
As consumers, we are faced with a vast array of options from what is available, to where we buy things, whether they be goods or services. Online retailing has disrupted traditional methods of product and service delivery and audiology and hearing care are certainly not immune from these challenges. Having too many choices can sometimes lead to delays in our decision-making process known as choice overload which can cause us to feel overwhelmed, indecisive, and even less satisfied with our final decision. Instead of making a choice, we simply walk away. Scientists have identified several reasons for this:
- Decision Fatigue: The process of evaluating numerous options can be mentally taxing and lead to decision fatigue, making it harder to focus and make a rational choice.
- Regret and Overthinking: When faced with a wide array of options, we might worry about making the “wrong” choice and experience regret or second-guessing
- Perceived Complexity: Too many options can make the decision-making process seem unnecessarily complex and daunting, discouraging us from investing the effort to decide.
- Reduced Satisfaction: Studies have shown that we are often less satisfied with our purchases if we have a too wide range of choices to choose from, potentially because we feel as if we could have made a better selection.
In essence, the paradox of choice is that while having more options might seem appealing, it can backfire, and we experience buyer’s remorse, or we delay purchasing altogether.
Over nearly half a century, Hearing Healthcare Practice has developed a series of exacting standards that continually evolve as we embrace the latest scientific evidence and integrate this within our unique relationship-centred healthcare approach. Studies overwhelming support that to deliver the very best practices, private audiology should be provided in face-to-face consultation.
Disrupter or Disruptive?
Some retailers and entrepreneurs look at hearing care as another marketplace to attempt to exploit and disrupt. We fully support the benefits creating awareness will bring, providing that doesn’t lead to choice overload and lethargy in seeking help.
Hearing aids are classified as medical devices, and their distribution remains heavily controlled. Undeterred by the existing regulatory framework, Apple has lobbied the UK authorities to consider the guidelines and how the legislation could be re-interpreted to allow them to distribute AirPod headphones and promote that they can be set-up to function like a hearing aid. The UK government has even gone so far as to publish a policy statement on the matter which can be read HERE.
The government wants to make sure that regulations both protect patient safety, while improving access to innovative technologies. In our opinion, although not clinical grade sophisticated hearing aids, these devices have a place in the changing landscape of hearing support. More devices are bound to come along which manufacturers will claim can bridge the gap between providing occasional situational support to fully functional hearing aids.
An Expert Second Opinion
Our advice, in line with all other experts, is that your first port of call should be to see a professional audiologist, be properly examined and to have a full hearing and listening abilities evaluation. With the benefit of impartial independent advice you’ll know the correct course of action. It could be that you need to seek a medical referral, treatment or your ears cleared. It might be you could be best suited to use AirPods or some other new technology yet to be publicised. It could be you will benefit from our second opinion service; if you already have hearing aids we may be able to make them perform better for you or we might recommend something completely new for you. The options are wide and the possibilities are (almost) endless. If you’d like to arrange a call with one of our audiological guides or to book an appointment, click here and we’ll get back to you.