Hearing Aid Center

Lahey’s Hearing Aid Centers are located within a medical practice, which allows us to provide a full scope of solutions for your hearing loss. You can buy a hearing aid at many retail stores – but you may have needs that extend beyond that. At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we offer many treatment options for hearing loss that extend beyond hearing aids.

For example, maybe a hearing aid isn’t the best option and you might be a candidate for a cochlear implant or other implantable hearing technology. Perhaps your hearing loss is caused by a treatable medical condition that needs evaluation by a physician. This is where our audiology and medical professionals, who can discuss varied options , are able to provide you with care that an independent hearing aid dispenser cannot.

At Lahey, our staff stands out because of their additional training. Our Hearing Aid Centers are staffed by Audiologists, who are healthcare professionals with masters or clinical doctorate (AuD) degrees in audiology.

An Audiologist has been trained to evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus (ringing or roaring in the ears), and to counsel individuals who suffer from these conditions.

Lahey’s Audiologists use a variety of tests and procedures to assess hearing and balance function, and to fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive devices. Our ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for anyone with a hearing impairment.

The Hearing Aid Center at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center provides a special level of expertise in managing hearing loss. Our Audiologists are trained in a broad range of hearing technologies, including hearing aids and implantable hearing technology.

All of our Audiologists have masters or doctorate degrees in Audiology, are licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and have certification by the American Speech/Language Hearing Association.

As part of the Audiology Section of Lahey’s Department of Otolaryngology, our Audiologists work closely with Lahey’s Ear, Nose and Throat physician team. They will listen closely to your communication needs, and using your hearing test results as guidance, select the best hearing technology to meet all your needs.

Whatever your need, from a hearing aid or implantable device to medical treatment for a condition causing your hearing loss, you can find it all in one location, from Lahey providers you know and trust.

You will need to have had a hearing test within the past six months. If you suspect your hearing is impaired but have not yet had a hearing test, please call to schedule a hearing evaluation and consultation with one of our Otolaryngology physicians.

The physician visit is important because the Otolaryngology specialist will help to determine the reason for your hearing loss and rule out any underlying medical conditions that may require special treatment. The physician also provides medical clearance for use of hearing aids.

Your primary care physician can help you arrange this initial visit, or you may make the appointment yourself by calling our Appointment Office at 781-744-8467.

What to Expect

Once you have the results of your hearing test and have met with an Otolaryngology specialist, your first visit to the Hearing Aid Center will be a free one-hour consultation with an Audiologist. The appointment will include an explanation of the hearing test, a discussion about your communication needs and a recommendation of what type of technology is best suited for your hearing loss, as well as pricing and other information.

If you need a hearing aid, we offer a variety of different types provided by trusted manufacturers in the hearing aid industry. While many insurances will pay for hearing tests and medical evaluations with our physicians, they may not pay for hearing aids. Therefore, it is best to contact your insurance company regarding hearing aid benefits before your first appointment. At Lahey, a 30-day trial period is provided. If you are not satisfied with your hearing aid, the cost is refunded.

Your First Appointment

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center’s Hearing Aid Center provides state-of-the-art audiology and hearing aid technology. Our Audiologists are experts at matching the right hearing aid to the right person. Here is what to know about your first appointment at Lahey’s Hearing Aid Center.

Real-Ear Measurement

At Lahey, Real-Ear Measurement software allows the families of hearing-impaired people to “experience” their loved one’s unique hearing loss. This technology makes a comparison between what a “normal” ear hears and what the hearing-impaired person hears. It also helps with verification of the correct fitting of the hearing aid(s).

Real-Ear Measurements help both patients and their families obtain realistic expectations regarding hearing loss, communication abilities and the use of hearing aids.

Real-Ear Measurement software allows the Audiologist to determine if a patient’s hearing aids are functioning properly for optimal speech understanding. According to consumer report, only 25% of hearing aid providers use real-ear measurement. At Lahey, Audiologists verify real-ear measurements on each patient who is fit with a hearing aid.