An elderly male came in for a hearing aid check this week. He reported that his new left Widex Flash FL-X ITE hearing aid was no longer in working condition. He is an experienced hearing aid user, for approximately 15 years, and is currently in his 60 day trial period of bilateral Widex Flash FL-X in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids. His right aid was recently returned to the manufacturer because it was causing irritation and redness in the helix area. At the current visit, the hearing aid has not been returned from the manufacturer. His previous hearing aids were bilateral analog MicroTech Cabello ITEs.
Upon visual inspection, an excessive amount of cerumen was found blocking the left hearing aid receiver. The wax guard was replaced and the hearing aid was subsequently found to have adequate amplification during the listening check. However, he had other concerns including the battery door configuration, the need for wax guard replacements, and the overall feel and look of the Widex Flash instruments. He then expressed interest in returning the Widex ITEs and purchasing MicroTech hearing aids (with advanced technology) due to his satisfaction with his old hearing aids. When information was elicited from MircoTech via phone call, a gradual merger of Starkey and MicroTech was revealed and some MicroTech instruments were no longer available. Therefore, a comparable Starkey mid-level product, Destiny 800, was recommended by the customer service representative.
He agreed to purchase bilateral Starkey Destiny 800 ITEs. A few special requests were noted on the order form which included no wax guards, a toggle volume control, a touchless t-coil, a 312 battery capability, a 3 year warranty, and a side-open battery door. The Widex instruments will be returned for a refund once the right aid returns from repair.
He seemed to be having difficulty with new technology and the cost of the new hearing aids which seems to be a trend with his purchasing history. So I found an article discussing perspectives on digital hearing aids and the history of hearing aids (which a certain professor would love!). This would be an excellent article to give to a patient who asks why hearing aids are so much more expensive now. Starting from WW II, the author goes through the advancements in amplification leading up to digital hearing aids.
Levitt, H. (2007). A historical perspective on digital hearing aids: How digital technology
has changed modern hearing aids. Trends in Amplication, 11.
http://web.ebscohost.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=5&sid=9fdccebd-c228-4d6e-b399-233f48876fc4%40sessionmgr3
He seemed to be having difficulty with new technology and the cost of the new hearing aids which seems to be a trend with his purchasing history. So I found an article discussing perspectives on digital hearing aids and the history of hearing aids (which a certain professor would love!). This would be an excellent article to give to a patient who asks why hearing aids are so much more expensive now. Starting from WW II, the author goes through the advancements in amplification leading up to digital hearing aids.
Levitt, H. (2007). A historical perspective on digital hearing aids: How digital technology
has changed modern hearing aids. Trends in Amplication, 11.
http://web.ebscohost.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=5&sid=9fdccebd-c228-4d6e-b399-233f48876fc4%40sessionmgr3
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