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IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PROSPECTIVE HEARING AID USERS
Good health practice requires that a person with a hearing loss have a medical evaluation by a licensed physician
(preferably a physician who specializes in diseases of the ear) before purchasing a hearing aid. Licensed physicians who
specialize in diseases of the ear are often referred to as otolaryngologists, otologists or otorhinolaryngologists. The
purpose of medical evaluation is to assure that all medically treatable conditions that may affect hearing are identified
and treated before the hearing aid is purchased.
Following the medical evaluation, the physician will give you a written statement that states that your hearing loss
has been medically evaluated and that you may be considered a candidate for a hearing aid. The physician will refer
you to an audiologist or a hearing aid dispenser, as appropriate, for a hearing aid evaluation.
The audiologist or hearing aid dispenser will conduct a hearing aid evaluation to assess your ability to hear with and
without a hearing aid. The hearing aid evaluation will enable the audiologist or dispenser to select and fit a hearing
aid to your individual needs.
If you have reservations about your ability to adapt to amplification, you should inquire about the availability of a trial-
rental or purchase- option program. Many hearing aid dispenser s now offer programs that permit you to wear a hearing
aid for a period of time for a nominal fee after which you may decide if you want to purchase the hearing aid.
Federal law restricts the sale of hearing aids to those individuals who have obtained a medical evaluation from a
licensed physician. Federal law permits a fully informed adult to sign a waiver statement declining the medical evalu-
ation for religious or personal beliefs that preclude consultation with a physician. The exercise of such a waiver is not
in your best health interest and its use is strongly discouraged.
