Applied Hearing Solutions FAQs

We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

We are located in north Phoenix. Our address is 4045 E Union Hills Dr. Suite D128, Phoenix, AZ 85050. This is just to the southeast of where the Loop-101 and SR-51 meet. Get directions here.

Our phone number is (602) 877-0000.

We work with all major manufacturers, including but not limited to Phonak, Oticon, Starkey, ReSound, Signia, and Widex. You can learn more about our hearing aids here.

We work with insurance on an out-of-network basis. We will provide you with itemized receipts with proper billing codes and diagnosis codes so you can submit an out-of-network claim.

A comprehensive audiologic evaluation (hearing test) at our office is $175. Traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans will help cover all or a portion of the hearing test cost.

You can learn more about hearing aid insurance coverage here.

We offer a wide variety of services related to your hearing healthcare. We offer hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, real-ear measurement, tinnitus treatment and management, hearing aid repairs, ear wax removal, and more! Please give our office a call to inquire about any services not listed above.

Yes, we sell a wide variety of hearing aids. The best way to ensure you are getting the best treatment recommendation is to get scheduled for a consultation with one of our highly skilled audiologists.

Yes, we do! At Applied Hearing Solutions, we understand that excessive earwax can be more than just a nuisance – it can affect your hearing and overall ear health. Our audiologists are experts in safe and effective earwax removal, using a variety of advanced techniques tailored to your specific needs.

Unlike many healthcare providers who rely on a single method, we offer three different approaches: irrigation, manual removal with curette, and microsuction. This versatility allows us to provide the most appropriate and comfortable solution for each patient, ensuring optimal results while prioritizing your ear health and comfort.

Yes, we do. We believe that a thorough hearing evaluation is the foundation of effective hearing care. Our comprehensive hearing tests go beyond simple screenings, providing a detailed analysis of your hearing abilities.

Using state-of-the-art equipment and following comprehensive best practices, our audiologists conduct a series of tests to assess the type, degree, and configuration of your hearing loss. This in-depth approach allows us to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique hearing needs and lifestyle.

The first step is to reach out to our excellent Patient Care Coordinators by calling our office or via email. They will take the time necessary to identify the proper type of appointment and tell you what to expect. We highly recommend you bring your significant other, family member, or friend to your appointment to provide your doctor with an additional perspective of your hearing difficulties.

Yes, we do. Though several in-person visits will be required in order to perform hearing tests and program hearing aids, if that is the appropriate course of treatment, most other visits and adjustments to hearing aid programming can be done virtually.

Initial hearing aid fitting must be completed in-person in order for it to be done properly, following comprehensive best practices. However, once the devices are programmed appropriately, many follow up visits can be done remotely.

Yes, we do offer virtual appointments, but a virtual appointment may not be appropriate, depending on your wants and needs. In order to assess if a virtual appointment is appropriate, please contact our front office by phone or email.

We are able to work with most hearing aids and manufacturers, as long as the device is, in fact, going to meet your wants and needs. Some hearing aids may not have the capabilities to treat certain hearing losses. To assess your current devices, please contact our Patient Care Coordinators to schedule a consultation with one of our incredible Doctors of Audiology.

We encourage you to bring any previous hearing tests to your consultation visit so we can assess your hearing appropriately. Often we can utilize previous evaluations to make our best recommendations, and often additional tests may be required. Please contact our Patient Care Coordinators to schedule a consultation appointment.

Hearing aid pricing varies greatly based on many factors, such as device style, the need for custom earmolds, and technology level. During your consultation, your audiologist will review your wants, needs, and values, perform a comprehensive audiologic evaluation, and give their best recommendations based on that information.

The cost of cleaning two hearing aids can range from $90-120.

This is a 120 minute appointment which includes a comprehensive hearing evaluation and hearing aid consultation where all of your results will be explained in detail, in a way that is easy to understand. We pride ourselves on extensive patient education to ensure you are well-versed in your specific type of hearing loss. Your audiologist will then discuss your treatment options where you will jointly decide the best treatment option that suits your unique hearing loss and your hearing priorities.

We follow a person-centered care approach to hearing treatment and our joint-decision making model means your input helps to drive the direction of your treatment. When you decide to pursue treatment, we will establish a structured care program to ensure our audiologists are able to optimize your hearing aid performance by following comprehensive Best Practice procedures.

Before beginning your evaluation, our audiologists will discuss your medical history to learn about any past injuries or medication that may affect your hearing. Once we have gotten to know you and what brought you to our office, we begin with a visual examination of your ears.Using a tool called an otoscope, our audiologists will begin your hearing evaluation by examining your outer ear. In order to be able to hear clearly, our ear canals must be free from blockages and our eardrums must be intact. Our Audiologists also specialize in earwax removal using all of the most advanced eawax removal technology and techniques.

The next step in your hearing evaluation will take place in a soundproof booth with either headphones or insert earphones. Air Conduction testing uses audible “beep” sounds to determine your hearing thresholds, which are the softest level of sounds that you can barely hear, at different frequency ranges. Bone conduction testing is performed using a bone oscillator on your mastoid bone behind your ear. This sends the vibration of sound directly through your skull into your inner ear, bypassing your outer and middle ear, to determine your bone conduction Thresholds.

Next, your audiologist will conduct speech testing starting with Speech Reception Thresholds (SRTs). You will be presented with a series of 2 syllable words that decrease in volume. The goal is to identify the softest level of speech, in decibels, that you can barely understand. After SRTs are determined, Word Recognition Testing is completed. Using recorded words, you are presented with 1-syllable words at a fully audible level to determine your percentage of speech understanding. The higher these percentages are, the better you are at comprehending speech, and the better you are expected to perform with hearing aids.

Our comprehensive approach to ear wax removal is designed to be safe, effective, and tailored to your needs.

(1) Initial Examination: We perform a thorough otoscopic examination to assess the extent and nature of the ear wax blockage.

(2) Removal Procedure: Using one of our three methods (irrigation, manual removal, or microsuction), we carefully remove the excess ear wax.

(3) Post-Removal Check: We conduct a final examination to ensure all excess wax has been removed and your ear canal is healthy.

The American Academy of Audiology formed a Task Force of some of the hearing industry's most educated and highly respected Audiologists to develop Best Practice Guidelines for the Audiologic Management of Adult Hearing Impairment. These guidelines were developed based on the review of evidence and provides recommendations in 4 general areas:

(1) Assessment & Goal Setting
There are several things that should be done before treatment is even considered. These things should include a Comprehensive Case History, Otoscopic inspection, Cerumen Removal, a Hearing Assessment, and Needs Assessment. A hearing assessment will result in the type and severity of hearing loss, possible medical referral, discussion of results, and determination of candidacy for hearing treatment. A lifestyle needs assessment should be completed prior to testing or following testing. This will help to ensure that your hearing care provider can make decisions on hearing treatment recommendations to ensure the treatment is compatible with your lifestyle. If a complete understanding is not obtained, it becomes really difficult to recommend the right hearing treatment.

(2) Technical Aspects of Treatment

• Hearing Aid Selection–These include:Style of hearing aid, Volume control needs, Telecoil needs, CROS vs BiCROS vs AmpCROS, Bone Anchored Hearing Aid, Wireless connectivity
• Quality control–Hearing Care Professional will evaluate your devices, including Test Box Measures, to ensure that they are mechanically performing correctly and to verify that digital features are performing correctly.
• Fitting & Verification–Real Ear Measurements (REMs) come into play. REMs are a form of verification that ensures that hearing aids are programmed correctly. However, correct physical fit must be obtained to ensure that the devices can be comfortably worn. Hearing Assistive Devices such as a remote microphone should be discussed.

(3) Orientation, Counseling, & Follow-up
Having a detailed orientation can dramatically improve how much success you have with hearing treatment. Counseling & Follow-up care can also ensure that you have success for years to come. Regular visits to a hearing care provider who spends the time to discuss treatment related information and who will maintain your devices is extremely important.

(4) Outcome Assessment
Outcome Assessments are typically forms of validation. Assessments such as the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly (HHIE), Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB), and the Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) are terrific ways to ensure that the hearing care provider has done a good job and that you are receiving significant benefit with hearing treatment.

Yes, we do.

The primary differences between hearing aid technology levels include:

Frequency Specificity: determines how precisely ones prescription can be met

Automatic Processing: how good is the hearing aid at assessing your surroundings in order to make changes for you, without the need for you to make changes to programming on your own in the moment

Dropping in technology will take these features away as you drop in tier level. Dropping in technology level does not guarantee that you will lose performance, but it does leave the potential of leaving benefit on the table now and into the future.

Our 45-Day Best Practice Fitting Sequence is a series of 4 appointments, during which your hearing aids will be accurately programmed and optimized based on your hearing loss and perception of sound quality. Each person, even if their hearing losses are similar, will have a different response to amplification, and it’s important that we schedule the necessary time to optimize each setting specifically to each individual.

During a hearing aid fitting we will ensure that the devices physically fit well, do not produce feedback while in your ears, are matched to your prescription using real-ear verification, and orient you to the proper use of your new devices. Our hearing aid fittings, however, are not a “one and done” process. We will schedule several follow up visits in order to then optimize the additional features available, such as background noise reduction, hearing aid microphone directionality, and more!

Hearing Assistive Devices such as a remote microphone should be discussed. Sometimes, hearing aids aren’t enough, particularly in a background noise setting. Hearing Assistive Devices could mean the difference between you hearing and not hearing in a noisy environment.

Absolutely! Please give us a call so we can assist you today. Our phone number is (602) 877-0000.

Yes, we do.

We are able to troubleshoot a wide variety of hearing aid issues and concerns. However, if your hearing aids need manufacturer repair, we are contracted with Phonak, Oticon, Starkey, Resound, Signia, and Widex. Please call our office if you have questions about a specific manufacturer.

Yes, we can.

Yes, we can. However, the age of the device and manufacturer may limit this.

If it can be fixed in the office, you will be able to leave with your hearing aid(s) functioning properly. However, if your hearing aid(s) needs to be sent to the manufacturer, it can take up to two weeks for the hearing aid(s) to return to our office. We are able to provide loaner hearing aids in the interim programmed identical to the setting you are used to.

Yes. We keep a healthy supply of receiver wires from many different hearing aid manufacturers in our office. Please call the office regarding your specific manufacturer.

Well-fit hearing aids that are appropriate for your hearing loss should last between 5 and 7 years, as long as they are well cared for. Routine at-home and professional maintenance, regular dehydration of the devices, and yearly diagnostic testing are necessary to ensure your get the most out of your hearing aids.

ITE: in the ear devices
CIC: completely in the canal
IIC: invisible in the canal
RIC: receiver in the canal
BTE: behind the ear

This decision depends upon the type, degree, and configuration of your hearing loss. During your consultation, after acquiring a comprehensive audiologic evaluation, your audiologist will be able to recommend domes or earmolds. Recommending the incorrect earpiece can have devastating consequences on your hearing abilities.

Yes, we do.

Yes, we do.

Yes, we do.