We got in touch with Audiologist, Phil at Premier Hearing to find out how as an independent dispensing audiologist, the Tympa system has helped him deliver ear and hearing check-ups to more than 1300+ patients since last year!
What first interested you in the Tympa? / How did you find out about Tympa?
I knew a bit about the Tympa and was starting out on my own, setting up Premier Hearing. To me it stood out as I was looking for something that enabled me to deliver a full patient ear and hearing health check-up.
How has your journey with Tympa been so far?
The Tympa System is really valuable, it ticks all our boxes and allows us to provide a total ear and hearing healthcare check-up. We use the Tympa System for wax removals via it’s suction unit, as well as using the hearing check. The hearing check is particularly useful as we are able to carry out a preliminary check to triage patients’ hearing. If we find something that is of concern, we can book them in with the audiologist for a more detailed investigation and as a dispensing audiologist we can close the loop and dispense a hearing aid if a hearing loss is found.
By using the hearing check alongside our other audiological equipment, we can speed up patients access to care. Not everyone has a hearing loss, so they don’t need a full assessment. Most importantly by using the Tympa System we are able to start patients on their pathway to ear and hearing healthcare.
How have you approached bringing people into care?
We’ve got a great connection with our local community. We get referrals from around 20 local pharmacies and from the local GP as well. I’d recommend to anyone starting out that they should connect with their local medical community to let them know the services they offer.
What would you say is the percentage of people coming in with just a wax problem vs other problems?
I’d say typically it’s as high as 1 in 3. So, if we see a full wax clinic of around 8-9 patients in a day, normally we find that 2-3 require a full assessment.
What sort of response would you say customers have to being able to see the problems with their ears and it being shareable?
The Tympa System helps us explain to the patient clearly exactly what is going on with their ears. Instead of using loupes where the patient can’t see any issues. We can show them the video and images of their ear so they can see what’s going on. Patients really appreciate the detailed explanation we are able to give them.
It also helps if the patients believes that they have wax, and we investigate and there is none. This means we can clearly show them and highlight to them that there is another problem, potentially a hearing loss.
Would you say that patients being able to see the problems helps set up regular check-ups?
Yes, certainly. Because we can share the image of the ear to the patient, they understand the importance of having regular ear and hearing health check-ups. So, we see a lot of follow on from patients who come back after 6 months, 1 year.
Have you used the remote review feature?
We’ve used the ‘Remote Review’ feature a couple of times and found it to be very impressive! The speed at which we had a response to the issue we raised was extremely quick, which meant the patient was able to receive the care they needed very quickly.
What types of customers use your service?
Everyone from students to older generations. Wax problems can affect people from any age.
What are your plans for the future?
Here at Premier Hearing we do plan to expand the wax removal service, but for me it’s really important to focus on the quality of service that we provide and keeping standards high.
How is the demand for the service?
Post-pandemic the demand for the service has been really high, on average we have 30-40 patients a week.
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