Telehealth has become more and more common since Covid forced healthcare providers to find new avenues for patient care. Audiology is no exception! One of the major hearing aid manufacturers, Phonak, offers the option for remote care through their smartphone app, MyPhonak!
With this app, patients not only have access to make volume and sound quality adjustments to their hearing aids, but there is also the option to remotely connect with their provider! Within the app, the patient just needs to answer a “call” from their providers office, which begins a video call with the Audiologist. During this call, the Audiologist can connect to the hearing aids, just as they could if you were in the office! The MyPhonak app allows for most types of changes and adjustments to be made to the hearing aid sound quality! Of course, for larger adjustments, and very specific modifications, the patient will need to be physically seen in the office.
Gardner Audiology has begun using this remote care option with most of our patients who wear Phonak hearing aids that are compatible with the app! Data that patients are helping us collect shows that this remote care option can be very effective! If the patient has a stable internet connection, these telehealth appointments can be completed quickly and efficiently. What is nice about Phonak hearing aids, is that their recent platforms are compatible with all Bluetooth devices – which includes smartphones and tablets!
What is interesting to note, is that Gardner Audiology has pioneered telehealth solutions for Audiology for the past several years! Our doctors have been able to provide remote care to patients in offices that they are not physically in with the help of Audiology Assistants (AA)! The AA will be in the office with the patient, and the Audiologist joins the appointment remotely. This remote option has been shown to provide the same quality of care as in-person visits!
Gardner Audiology is excited to expand their remote care options and continue to provide the same high-level quality of care that the community expects from them! If you are interested in learning more about Phonak hearing aids, or telehealth options, please contact Gardner Audiology at 1-800-277-1182 or visit gardneraudiology.com to schedule an appointment.
