What To Know About Locked Hearing Aids with Dr. Schlater
Understanding Locked Hearing Aids
– Locked hearing aids can only be accessed and reprogrammed by a specific clinic or manufacturer.
– The lock is due to a code that prevents other clinics from making changes to the programming.
– This restriction prevents patients from seeking care at other clinics if their current clinic is unavailable or unsatisfactory.
– These hearing aids can be cleaned and checked by other clinics but cannot be reprogrammed unless by the original company.
– Dr. Schlater advises against purchasing locked hearing aids due to potential limitations in care flexibility.
Implications for Patients
– Patients with locked hearing aids cannot get them reprogrammed at different clinics.
– Scenarios like traveling, moving, or seeking better care may require visiting another clinic.
– Inability to reprogram locked hearing aids at another clinic can cause significant inconvenience.
– Dr. Schlater advises against purchasing locked hearing aids due to care limitations.
Now Hear ThisⓇ Approach to Hearing Aids
– Now Hear ThisⓇ works with seven major hearing aid manufacturers and provides only unlocked hearing aids.
– Unlocked hearing aids allow patients to visit any audiologist in any city for reprogramming or assistance.
– The unlocked status ensures more flexibility and care options for patients.
– Dr. Schlater stresses the importance of unlocked hearing aids for ensuring the best possible care without limitations.
Full Transcription:
“Hi, I am Dr. Schlater from Now Hear ThisⓇ, and I wanted to talk to you today about locked hearing aids.
So what is a locked hearing aid? A locked hearing aid is a hearing aid that can be only accessed by a specific clinic or manufacturer, and the reason for this is that there is a code that has to be inputted into the software and that prevents other clinics from being able to access the programming and make changes to it. These hearing aids can still be cleaned and checked, but they cannot be reprogrammed when they are locked, unless it is by the same company that you bought the hearing aid from.
And what does this mean for a patient? So this means that if you come to us with a locked hearing aid, we would not be able to reprogram it. We don’t recommend that patients purchase a locked hearing aid because there are so many reasons that a patient might need to be able to go to another clinic. Maybe you’re out of town and you’re traveling and you need some help with your hearing aid, or maybe you move to a new city and that practice doesn’t have a clinic there. Or maybe you just aren’t happy with the care that you’re receiving at your current practice, and you want to try somewhere new.
So here at Now Hear ThisⓇ, we work with seven different major manufacturers, and all of our hearing aids are unlocked. So that means that if you go to another practice in another city, that audiologist will be able to reprogram and help you with your hearing aids.”