Hearing of America Q & A Article
Live to Age Well Special Section in Pioneer Press
August 2021 publication date
The Best Of The Best – Your Answer To Healthy Hearing
Hearing of America Combines Cutting Edge Technologies With Extraordinary Personal Care, Best Value, And Lots Of Options
If your hearing has deteriorated in recent years, you have hundreds upon hundreds of options — starting with finding a reputable, trustworthy, customer-friendly, knowledgeable, technologically-savvy, and professional hearing center. The state of Minnesota is home to hundreds of hearing centers. Some are franchise locations, some are part of a medical campus, and some are independently- and privately-owned single provider hearing centers.
Which option is the best for you?
An exceptional hearing center to start your search is Hearing of America, conveniently located in Oakdale (near I-694 and I-94). Hearing of America is committed to enhancing the quality of life for individuals by providing comprehensive personal hearing care and therapeutic tinnitus treatment. The hearing care professionals at Hearing of America are also always current with the newest audiological knowledge and cutting-edge hearing technologies.
Hearing of America has developed a reputation for its outstanding customer service and happy customers. In fact, they have so many satisfied customers, families and friends that the office was recently voted “Minnesota’s Best 2021 GOLD Winner”* (category: Health & Wellness / Hearing Center), out of all the hearing centers in the entire state!
The founder and provider at Hearing of America is Dr. Jerry Zhou, Ph.D. His expertise in the field of Audiology includes a Doctoral Degree in Hearing Science, and a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, both at the University of Minnesota. Before establishing Hearing of America in 2009, Dr. Jerry worked for three major hearing aid manufacturers in research, development, and engineering. His expertise in the manufacture of advanced digital hearing aids and fitting software is truly impressive. He started Hearing of America because of his passion to help people improve their lives and live life to the fullest with better hearing.
And, in the past 12 years, he has helped accomplish just that for more than 3,000 patients and their families.
What makes Hearing of America so special that it won the “Minnesota’s Best” Gold Award? Dr. Jerry answered a few questions to elaborate on how they care for their patients.
Q: What is your mission?
A: We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our patients, and to bring patients, their families and their communities together by providing comprehensive hearing care and therapeutic tinnitus treatment. Our mission is to help people enjoy their lives to the fullest through better hearing.
Q: What makes Hearing of America so unique?
A: We treat our patients with honesty and integrity. We make the extra effort to provide care from the patient’s perspective. The first questions we ask ourselves when we treat our patients is: What if I am in that patient’s situation? What would I think? What would I like to do? What would I expect? We take a holistic approach to treating our patients and provide personalized and customized hearing solutions for hearing loss and tinnitus. We also employ the nationally recognized AudigyCertified™ treatment plan to treat patients for life.
Q: What is the difference between Hearing of America and the big box hearing aid stores, national chain stores, third-party programs, and Internet stores?
A: Hearing aids are medical devices that need to be personalized, programmed, and fit to every patient. Hearing impairments vary greatly from person to person. Everybody is unique. Plus, people have different needs, different hearing situations, unique lifestyles, cosmetic concerns, hand dexterity, and budget considerations. I can’t emphasize enough that the treatment for hearing loss is a process, not an event. The brain needs to adapt. The individual needs to adapt. Medical devices need regular professional check-ups, tune-ups, and adjustments for hearing changes, device updates, lifestyle changes, and technology advancements, etc. We pride ourselves for providing elite personalized services.
Q: How do I get started for hearing loss/tinnitus treatment with Hearing of America?
A: The journey to better hearing starts by scheduling an hour-long appointment for a thorough hearing evaluation and complete consultation. We employ our 4-Point approach for you to start the better hearing journey. It includes: 1. An Interview Session to fully understand the patient’s hearing situation, lifestyle, medical/health history, and much more. 2. A Video Ear Exam is an opportunity for both the patient and us to see the inside of his/her own ear for earwax and possible abnormality of the outer ear and middle ear. 3. The Diagnostic Stage involves detailed testing in a sound isolation booth. 4. The last stage is discussing the best Treatment Solutions for your needs. After the first appointment, we place a high priority on progressive follow-up appointments and evaluations to make sure your needs are being met all the time.
Q: When you follow-up with patients, do they relate how this has made a profound difference in their lives?
A: Follow up appointments are very important. Some people who lost their hearing a long time ago cannot tolerate loud sounds at first. The amount of amplification and sound processing needs to be adjusted over time. Every auditory system adapts at its own pace. Also, people have different paces in learning how to use the hearing aid. So, we will follow-up with each patient regularly and diligently. In time, patients adapt, love their new hearing, and can enjoy life to the fullest.
Q: COVID, unfortunately, has not gone away. What special steps is your staff taking to reduce the spread of this disease?
A: We follow CDC guidelines and take an abundance of precautions. We all wear masks in the office, sanitize every surface that anybody touches, and wipe equipment immediately after each patient. We schedule appointments
apart and limit the reception area to one patient and companion at a time. Our patients and visitors seemed very happy about the care we have taken for everybody.
Q: I still have many questions regarding your hearing care services and hearing aids. How can I get more answers?
A: For more information, please visit our website: https://www.hearingofamerica.com. You can also call us at 651-528-7868 to schedule a personal hearing evaluation and consultation to get specific answers for your concerns.
* “Minnesota’s Best” is a Star Tribune Readers’ Choice Award program. This is a statewide event, allowing the public to vote online for their favorite business, store, professional, restaurant, and more. Altogether, the contest identified 360 categories. Voting was from April 26 – May 21. Each category has 1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze Winner.