No longer do you have to make an appointment to go and see your local audiologist and then have to travel all the way down to wherever it is their office is to get your hearing aids. This may sound silly but more and more audiology hearing centres are now coming out to you rather than the other way round. Mobile audiology, is it the future?

It is common practise for audiologists to work out of different centres whilst having a base where they store all of their big bulky fixed equipment whilst using smaller mobile equipment out of their satellite offices. It was only a matter of time before they moved on and made the next logical step and do house calls especially if they already have the equipment. This service will suit some people but not others and this article outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using a mobile service over the more conventional method of booking an appointment and getting there yourself.

Convenience (Advantage)

By far the biggest advantage of using a mobile service over more conventional methods is convenience. The old method of having to battle either public transport, the elements or the ever busier roads can be eliminated completely and you can just sit back make yourself a nice cup of tea in the comfort of your own home and let the audiologist do all the hard work and come to you.

A more personal service (Advantage)

Hearing aid consultations are very personal in the first place but anything that is performed in your own home immediately becomes even more personal. This is a huge advantage as will give you an opportunity to build a better working relationship with your audiologist. The better the audiologist knows you the better his or service will be. Unfortunately a more personal service will not change any diagnosis but it will help when delivering it good or bad.

Easier for Older People (Advantage)

This could have probably come under the convenience part but in some cases not being able to travel because of age or medical condition it becomes less of a convenience factor and more of a necessity. The majority of hearing aid wearers are people of a certain age who may struggle travelling long or short distances or simply just might not be able to. A mobile service to this group of people is a huge advantage as it allows them to obtain treatment that they may not have been able to otherwise.

Price (Disadvantage)

As with everything that is convenient to the end user it usually comes at a cost. Mobile hearing aid consultations usually come at a price. Why you ask? The simple answer is time. If you require the audiologist to come to you then you need to cover all of his costs and one of those will include travel time. He or she couldn’t possibly travel without building in some travel costs so expect this when considering using this service. Just as you, can make better use of your time whilst waiting for your hearing consultation the audiologist will have to be compensated for loss of earnings due to travel. All that said for such a first class convenient service it is well worth that little bit extra.

All in all mobile hearing aid consultations seem to be a better option as long as you can afford the slightly higher than normal costs. As it becomes more popular we will no doubt see a reduction in costs as competition becomes more widespread. Certainly for older people and people who cannot walk or travel very well this service is an excellent idea and will continue to expand until it becomes common practise.