Locked Hearing Aids
Locked hearing aids are unlikely to benefit you as the client, they only benefit the franchise or company selling them. It's important to ask questions about how this could impact your hearing healthcare in the future.
Locked hearing aids lock you out
Will you travel or move?
Locked hearing aids prevent you from getting help with your devices if you're away from your clinic.
More here >Will you travel or move?
When a provider locks your hearing aids, it prevents other audiologists from accessing the programming in your devices. That means if you're away traveling or you move, you may not be able to get any further adjustments made to your hearing aids. That's a serious issue if your hearing changes or your listening needs change.
Will your clinic be around forever?
Businesses change and sometimes close. If that happens to your clinic, you're out of luck to get your devices adjusted.
More here >Will your clinic be around forever?
While we all hope businesses don't shut down, these things happen and there's no guarantee these chain hearing aid stores won't change partnerships or close branches. If (or when) this happens, your hearing aids can't be adjusted locally and you'll end up with devices that no longer fit your needs or your hearing.
What are you really getting?
These locked devices are proprietary to that chain of hearing aid stores. They can't be compared with other devices.
More here >What are you really getting?
There are six major hearing aid manufacturers around the world. Some will create brand and model-specific devices for a chain retailer but these aren't necessarily the same as the devices fit by independently-owned clinics. Often, they will de-feature the devices so you can't access the top features and they can be one to two years old in their technology. It's impossible to compare prices and devices when you don't know exactly what is available in your hearing aids.
How do I get an unlocked hearing aid?
Visit an independently-owned hearing healthcare provider, like our New Zealand Hearing clinics! We work with all the different manufacturers (because we aren't owned by one!) and NEVER use locked hearing aids. You have purchased these devices and they belong to you, not to us. It's important you know you have options for care and we'll strive to provide the highest quality care possible at all times. No hearing aid nor hearing care provider should limit your options to access to care.