“My patients can see what their ears look like before and after and this helps a lot.”
We spoke to Sarah at Norfolk Ear and Foot Clinic about her journey so far with Tympa and why as a Foot Health Practitioner she decided to expand her care offering into ear and hearing health.
How did you start your journey using the Tympa System?
As a Foot Health Practitioner, I see a lot of people in my community. Many of my patients were coming to see me and were frustrated as they needed to get their ears looked at but could no longer get ear wax removal services locally and if they could, they would often be waiting 30 weeks or more to see someone.
How much demand has there been for the service?
My local GP has stopped providing ear syringing, so I’ve made them aware about my service, so they refer directly to me. This is generating quite a lot of demand.
What type of customer uses your service?
All types! A lot of elderly patients who have hearing aids. I’m able to remove the wax and help them keep their hearing aids working as best as possible. Not only that, but I have also seen a few middle-aged people, as well as young adults.
What methods have worked well when it comes to getting the word out about your new Tympa service?
I’ve found that social media has helped raise awareness locally. I’ve also sent leaflets to my local community, and I’ve emailed doctors surgeries and they’re now referring patients to my care.
What has been your experience with the training provided by Tympa?
The TympaHealth Training Academy has been excellent. From the intro to the Tympa System and the ongoing support from the training team, everything has been amazing.
What has been your favourite thing about using the Tympa device?
I think the ability to capture high resolution images and videos has been really great. My patients can see what their ears look like before and after and this helps a lot. Also, when people have some wax removed and notice an improvement – their face is what I really love.
Have you used the Remote Review feature, if so how has this been?
I’ve only used the Remote Review feature once, but it was really helpful. The speed and quality of the response from the specialists is great.
Any advice for others starting out on their Tympa journey?
As with anything, practice makes perfect. Everybody you see is slightly different and I’ve found that elderly people can move quite a bit, so patience is required to make sure you’re able to give the best care possible.
Do you have a standout patient story where you feel you really made a difference?
An offshore worker came to me after having problems with his ears for ages. When I looked in his ear, I could see a huge amount of wax! Using the Tympa System I was able to remove the wax plug and he noticed the difference immediately. He was elated, jumping up and down and gave me a great big hug afterwards.
