Todays hearing aids are sophisticated medical devices that, in order to be used successfully, must be fit by highly qualified hearing professionals. Each persons hearing needs are unique and require comprehensive evaluation to prescribe the proper amplification. In addition, a persons daily lifestyle and preference play a part.

• Upon proper fitting of an instrument a process of aural rehabilitation is necessary to achieve optimal success. This is only available from a qualified hearing professional. There is no online program for this. At A Atlantic Hearing Aid Center it is our mission to provide the best possible care to all our patients. We do not offer internet sales of hearing aids. We consider it unethical to sell a patient a hearing instrument without proper consultation and rehabilitation. It is our belief that it is in the patients best interest to use the internet as a tool for information purposes only. Many hearing aid manufacturers agree with us and have reservations about the sale of their products over the internet.

• Starkey’s Internet Sales Policy

  Starkey is a manufacturer of premium hearing aids, sold only through our worldwide network of authorized hearing professionals. Our fully trained and credentialed hearing care
  professionals are carefully chosen for their ability to deliver proper testing, fitting and support services that are critical to our patient’s receiving the maximum benefit, performance and
  value from Starkey hearing products.

  Starkey does not sell its products directly to Internet retailers. Starkey does not endorse the practice of selling hearing aids to consumers via the Internet. We believe that the successful dispensing of Starkey products is best achieved by hearing professionals that are trained on the proper use of our products. Optimum hearing aid performance can only be achieved through face-to-face consultation. Internet retailers cannot provide our consumers with the same high quality professional services as those in our network.

• Internet Retailers

  There are retailers who sell Starkey products via the Internet who are not authorized to do so. Some falsely claim to be authorized Starkey hearing professionals. Some misappropriate our intellectual property. Our legal department has taken action to stop unauthorized reselling of our products. We police the Internet for advertisements, sponsored links and domain name usage by unauthorized Internet retailers and we enforce our copyright and trademark rights.

• Phonak Policy for Purchasing Aids

  A hearing instrument is something personal. It is adapted to your hearing impairment, the shape of your ear and in many cases to your listening preferences. Therefore, the process of obtaining a hearing instrument consists of several steps to ensure an optimum fit in all respects.

  The following steps are involved in obtaining a hearing instrument:

• Discovering the hearing impairment

  For adults, the way to a hearing instrument fitting often begins with a feeling that one’s hearing is not as it should be. This feeling may originate from situations where one has to ask for sentences to be repeated or when other people complain that the television is too loud while we regard it as comfortable.

  A hearing loss in children may be discovered straight after birth or later on, for example, with a behavioral test or by observing language development.

  If you suspect a hearing impairment contact a hearingcare professional as soon as possible.

• 1st session with the hearingcare professional: diagnosis, choice of hearing instrument

  A hearingcare professional or an ENT-physician determines with the help of a hearing test whether a hearing loss is present. If not, you won’t need any further help. In case a hearing loss
  is present, the kind and degree of your hearing loss is determined individually for each ear and entered in an audiogram. The hearingcare professional presents you with the technological possibilities that would help in your case. The hearing loss, the shape of your ear canals, your needs, taste and budget are all taken into account to make the right decision concerning
  your hearing instruments and their technology, be it an in-the-ear or a behind-the-ear-model, digital, digitally programmable, analog, with or without a remote control or FM-receiver etc.
  The hearingcare professional will take an ear impression, an accurate replica of your ear canal, which is the basis for the ITE-shell (in case ITEs are used) or the BTE-earmold.