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AccuQuest Hearing Aids: The Pros & Cons

Looking for information on AccuQuest hearing aids in Raleigh, NC or Cary, NC? While a scheduled appointment and a fully qualified hearing evaluation is the only way to determine the best hearing aid for your needs, Now Hear This® is pleased to offer the following information so that patients make smart decisions about their hearing health care provider.

AccuQuest Hearing Aids for Raleigh, NC and Cary, NC

While AccuQuest doesn’t offer a wider range of hearing aids than most other providers, it does offer a full range of options from behind-the-ear styles to virtually invisible aids. It’s also easy to find a AccuQuest office because they spend a lot of money on advertising and building new stores. However, always remember that the quality of care is more important than the aids themselves and the convenience of their offices. Here are five questions to ask before deciding on your hearing health care provider, so you can be sure that the services and their hearing aids will work for you.

• “Locked” hearing aids? North Carolina AccuQuest stores may lock their devices so adjustments can only be performed at their locations.  While you can understand why companies do this for business reasons, it will restrict your freedom in a number of ways.  A patient who buys such a device will never have the flexibility and freedom to go to another Provider if they are not happy with the service or any other reason. No other hearing professional will be able to “unlock” the aids and fit them to your exact needs.  The large newspaper ads by the big national companies like AccQuest never tell you that they lock their aids, so be sure to call the office and ask before your first appointment.  The audiologist at Now Hear This® never prescribes or dispenses locked hearing aids.  You always retain the freedom to be served by other Providers.
• Hearing aid dealer or licensed audiologist? Customers of some AccuQuest stores are often served by hearing aid “dealers” and “hearing instrument specialists”.  They are not Board-certified doctors of audiology. While they are probably very nice people, these kinds of dealers typically only need a high school education and a state license, whereas audiologists have close to a decade of university training in all aspects of hearing health diagnostics and treatment. Aside from physicians, audiologists are the only professionals licensed to diagnose both the type and extent of hearing loss while addressing other hearing health concerns.
• “Real ear measurements”? Many people say that AccuQuest hearing aid stores in the NC Triangle typically do not use this critically important measurement which means they can only use “guesswork” to fit the aids. This measurement is critical and uses a tiny microphone to ensure that the output of a hearing aid is accurately tuned to match the exact acoustics of the patient’s ear canals. It is recognized by every audiology doctorate program as being the ONLY way to validate that a hearing aid is meeting each patient’s exact hearing needs. At Now Hear This®, our audiologists use this device each and every time to fine-tune your hearing aid, making a world of difference in your hearing and satisfaction.
• Hearing aid evaluations or hearing tests? Free AccuQuest hearing tests in the Raleigh and Cary area are often performed by dealers. Such “tests” do not include the kinds of advanced hearing evaluations needed to properly identify hearing loss that is treatable with hearing aids vs. more severe medical conditions. Hearing “tests” are also not eligible for insurance reimbursement, while insurance does cover hearing evaluations that are conducted by licensed Raleigh audiologists.
• Pricing and customer service? National hearing aid chains, such as AccuQuest simply are not set up to provide the personal care and attention that you’ll receive from a Now Hear This® audiologist in Raleigh and Cary. While we can appreciate business models that produce very high profits, the fact is that most people want their health care providers to put the patients’ needs ahead high profits. Now Hear This® doesn’t advertise pricing based on a discount from the “manufacturer’s suggested retail price” because it knows many advertisers use this as a gimmick. Now Hear This® is set up so that you can get convenient appointments, and you will never feel rushed. You will be given fair pricing that is often less than the national chains. Most importantly, because of the “customer-first” mentality at Now Hear This®, you should not have to go back multiple times for your aids to be working their best.

Find the Right Hearing Aid with Help from Now Hear This®

Wondering if a AccuQuest hearing aid may be right for you? For honest advice, comprehensive hearing evaluations and a range of hearing solutions, turn to the Board-certified and licensed Raleigh audiologists at Now Hear This®. Our hearing clinic is committed to helping patients find the perfect solution for their lifestyle, budget and unique hearing needs. To discuss your options, schedule an appointment online or call us at 919-256-2898.