Hear, Hear For Doctors Of Audiology

Steve Kennedy is a people person. He enjoys talking to people and engaging with them socially. Those traits have served him well for the 30-plus years he’s worked as a sales executive. His enthusiasm extends to his private life as well. In his free time, the 58-year-old Florida native loves to travel, exercise and watch the local sports teams compete on TV.

“I enjoy traveling and seeing new places, and there are many beautiful places out there,” Steve shares. “Nashville is a great town to visit. Glacier National Park in Montana is absolutely breathtaking. Hawaii is gorgeous. I like St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands very much, too.
“My job is demanding. I work a lot of hours, so I watch sports to relax. I’m a big Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning fan. I root for the Florida State Seminoles in college football. And I really enjoy working out. I lift weights and perform cardio activities.”
About 10 years ago, Steve noticed some issues with his hearing. He was having difficulty hearing speech in crowded settings such as restaurants. It affected him on the job as well.
“I work in a professional environment and deal with large corporations, so my hearing is very important to me,” Steve maintains. “I must be able to hear what my clients are saying and understand what they want to accomplish.
“My hearing challenges were making it difficult to comprehend what people were saying, particularly the nuances of what they were saying. Numbers were especially hard for me to understand. And in sales, it’s very important to understand numbers. I realized I needed to address these hearing challenges.”
At the time, Steve bought hearing aids from a big-box store. They were basic devices with minimal functionality. Several years later, when Steve required updated hearing aids, a friend recommended he visit Trinity Hearing & Balance Center.
Trinity Hearing & Balance Center is the New Port Richey practice of Kelly Hansen, AuD. Dr. Hansen and fellow audiologists Nikki Goldowski-Richa, AuD, and Kayla Dub, AuD, CCCA, specialize in hearing care, including the fitting of hearing aids. They also treat all types of balance disorders.

Best Practices

Unlike big-box stores and many other hearing aid practices, Trinity Hearing & Balance Center is staffed by doctors of audiology. These are highly trained professionals who are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing and balance disorders in adults and children.
“The primary difference between an audiologist and a hearing aid specialist is education,” Dr. Dub explains. “Doctors of audiology complete an additional eight years of school beyond high school to receive their doctorate. They also complete more than 2,000 hours of hands-on clinical experience by the time they graduate.
“Compared to someone who simply fits hearing aids, doctors of audiology look at the patient as a whole. They perform diagnostic testing, auditory rehabilitation and cochlear implantation. And at Trinity Hearing & Balance Center we also focus on vestibular disorders.”

“The experience was much more professional than at the big-box store; it was revelational.” – Steve

The education of doctors of audiology includes research on best practices in the recommendation and fitting of hearing aids and follow-up care. Trinity Hearing & Balance Center follows the best practices identified through this research.
“Best practices involve more than choosing the devices. They also include the personal care,” Dr. Dub points out. “We can perform the most advanced audiometric testing and recommend the best hearing aid technology, but if they are not fit properly, the patient will not be satisfied. One size does not fit all when it comes to hearing aids.
“Our patients also receive as much follow-up care as necessary for them to be completely comfortable with their hearing devices. We see patients one week after the fitting to make any fine-tuning adjustments. We then follow them every three to four months to clear their ears and clean the hearing aids so they get the best life out of their devices.”

“They’re Fantastic”

“When I visited Trinity Hearing & Balance Center for the first time and worked with the doctors, the experience was much more professional than at the big-box store; it was revelational,” Steve reflects.
“The technology they use is amazing. They also shared information with me about the advances in hearing aids, which enabled me to make a far-more educated decision about my hearing health care.”
Recently, Dr. Dub fit Steve with new top-of-the-line, rechargeable, over-the-ear hearing instruments. They include features that accommodate Steve’s active lifestyle.
“These hearing aids adjust so I can hear better in the different environments I’m in,” Steve enthuses. “The devices connected to my phone with Bluetooth so I can actually take calls through my hearing aids, which is nice for a sales professional. I can listen to music when I’m working out as well.
“My hearing is much better and much clearer with my new hearing aids. Now, when I discuss numbers with my clients, I have a much clearer understanding than I did before.”
Steve has high praise for the doctors of audiology at Trinity Hearing & Balance Center.
“They’re fantastic,” he raves. “They’re always quick to see me if I need help with my hearing aids or have issues with my ears. I wish every health care provider could provide the pleasant experience I get at Trinity Hearing & Balance Center. I’m a huge fan of what they do for people.”