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Forum: Let Private Audiology Sector Help Fit People with Hearing Aids Faster
The article “Many people here need hearing aids which help to stave off dementia, but few use them” (Aug 11) has created awareness of the close links between dementia and hearing loss.
Studies have shown that patients with hearing loss may be two to five times more likely to develop dementia, depending on the severity of their hearing problems.
A senior principal audiologist was quoted as saying “a patient typically has to wait around 10 months to see an audiologist, after a doctor says hearing aids are needed”. The reason for the long wait is the overwhelming need for hearing care services at the hospitals.
This long waiting time is not limited to new users. Those who have been prescribed hearing aids from the hospital but need follow-up services, either to repair a product fault or get help to use the aids properly, also have to wait a long time. This discourages patients from continuing to wear their aids.
It is not uncommon for professionals in private practice to meet these senior patients and hear their frustrations. Their quality of life remains low despite the money the Government has invested in grants to give them hearing aids. Professional help has to be timely too.
The Society of Hearing Professionals is formed by a group of individuals in the private sector of audiology. Many of us have worked for audiology practices for decades, long before government grants were given and often before audiology units were established in public hospitals.
Together, our members have fitted at least 35,000 hearing-impaired Singaporeans and residents over the decades. We do well in patient satisfaction because we allocate sufficient time to allow our patients to stay continually engaged throughout using a device for five years or more.
With a network of about 50 fitting points in our membership, our society can play a bigger part in helping resolve the problems highlighted in the article.
Over the last few years, we have reached out to the stakeholders and decision-makers to allow us to jointly improve the lives of our senior population through better hearing. Both the public and private hearing healthcare practices should work together. Unfortunately, we have not received a positive response.
We hope the article and this letter can hasten discussions to strengthen a partnership to do more for Singapore.
Ronald Pang Tin Pin
President
Society of Hearing Professionals (Singapore)
