When Dr. Rebecca Grome took over Ears4U Hearing Service in Berry Hill in 2018, she was the only audiologist. Now, eight years later, there are three audiologists, an audiologist assistant, and an additional office in Brentwood.
One thing that has stayed the same is its exceptional care for patients through tried-and-true treatments while embracing new technology. Like in most other industries, AI is expanding its footprint in the hearing aid industry.
“We've had AI in hearing aids for a long time for data tracking purposes,” she says. “Meaning, if a patient comes into my office and has a specific complaint, I can go into the software and monitor how the hearing aid is responding to the wearer’s environment as well as what adjustments they are making.”
AI-assisted hearing aids are doing much more now. “They’re using AI technology to sift through background noise and to find dominant speech signals,” Rebecca says. “The devices adjust what the microphones are doing based on AI technology to optimize listening situations.”
Another big change, and not necessarily for the better, is the government’s deregulation of hearing aids, enabling consumers to buy them over the counter. “That might sound great, but who's going to program them for their specific needs, who's going to teach them how to clean them, and who's going to make sure they're working right?” says Dr. Grome. These are all services performed at Ears4U.
There are also increasing issues with insurance coverage for hearing aids. “Hearing health has become a luxury, and it really shouldn't be,” she says. “There are plans that cover hearing aids, but it's pretty rare that someone can walk in the door and not have a significant out-of-pocket expense remaining.”
When people think about hearing aids, many believe they don’t have to worry about them until they get much older, but that’s far from the truth. “People often don't realize that the average age for fitting hearing aids in our office is around 53 years old.”
Hearing loss is also progressive, so it often creeps up on people. “It’s better for people to obtain hearing aids early on because that way it's less of an adjustment,” says Dr. Grome. “If they wait 30 years before obtaining amplification, it's a much more abrasive transition.”
The good news is that younger people are being educated about hearing health. Even iPhones are helping. When users listen to music too loudly through their headphones, a pop-up warning appears. It's now common to see marketing aimed at music professionals and industries where loud noises are the norm.
“We're seeing a lot more young people come in for custom hearing protection and annual hearing tests because, with Nashville being such a big music city, there are a lot of people who go to concerts for their entertainment,” she says. “We also have a big hunting community here, so there's been a lot of dialogue about custom hearing protection for that.”
Young people may often be more aware of the challenges of hearing loss from watching family members struggle with the condition. “We have so many adult children come in and say, 'I want to get a baseline hearing test and some hearing protection because I don't want to be like my dad or grandfather.’”
Some of the services offered at Ears4U are not always available at other audiology practices. “Outside of the standard hearing evaluation and hearing aids, we also specialize in tinnitus, have a robust musician population, and routinely perform wax removal,” says Dr. Grome.
The practice also works with the veteran population for compensation and pension evaluations.
Another focus now is on physician marketing. “Tinnitus patients don't always know where to turn because there are so many practitioners saying there's nothing that can be done about it. Most of our physician marketing revolves around making sure PCP’s can refer their patients to someone who knows how to help them.”
Hearing health is ever improving and changing, but Dr. Grome is ready. “We have our processes and procedures down, and an amazing staff,” she says. “The best thing about a small practice is we can adapt quickly to the changes.”
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“People often don't realize that the average age for fitting hearing aids in our office is around 53 years old.”
“Outside of the standard hearing evaluation and hearing aids, we also specialize in tinnitus, have a robust musician population, and routinely perform wax removal.”