Are Consumers Ready For OTC Hearing Aids?

Although there's been a lot of buzz about what over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids may do to the hearing industry, the latest research suggests that OTC hearing-device companies may face an uphill battle in winning over consumers, and may fall short of the impact OTC legislation hopes to make.

Hearing aids are not regulated in the same way medical devices typically are, yet the average consumer considers them to fall within the medical-device category. Of consumers with hearing difficulty, 45% considered hearing aids to be "Definitely a medical device," while only 3% considered them "Definitely a consumer product."

OTC hearing aids are intended to bring down the cost and increase accessibility to hearing aids, easing barriers toward hearing-aid purchases. These are worthy goals, but self-fitted devices won't necessarily solve the problems at hand. Consumers are generally not comfortable performing the self-fitting steps themselves — assessing their own hearing loss, selecting the right product, and troubleshooting problems that may arise. Comfort with self-fitting is negatively correlated with age, so the demographic that is most likely to need a hearing solution is also the demographic that is less comfortable with self-fitting steps.

In examining attitudes of hearing-aid non-owners, MarkeTrak 10 found that only one in five thought they would "definitely" or "probably" purchase OTC devices, with younger populations showing greater interest. Meanwhile, 56% would "definitely" or "probably" purchase through a Hearing Care Provider (HCP).

The satisfaction rates of PSAPs foreshadow what we might expect with OTC hearing aids. Satisfaction ratings are higher for hearing aids on everything except price — and significantly higher on clarity and richness of sound. "Sound quality," "Clarity of tone and sound," and "Richness or fidelity of sound" were the three areas of greatest dissatisfaction that consumers had with their PSAPs, even though these factors were the top contributors to consumer satisfaction with PSAPs. A majority (66%) of PSAP owners also suspected they would have benefitted at least moderately from professional help.

A lower-priced product will always be attractive to a certain segment of the population, but only 2% of PSAP purchasers bought one because "it was less expensive than a hearing aid through an HCP." HCPs should not feel compelled to compete on price. In response to OTC legislation, HCPs should be very clear about the value they add through the services they provide, and find ways to demonstrate that value — particularly to younger audiences.

Three ways HCPs can respond

1. An accurate hearing test is the foundation of any hearing-aid fitting — whether self-fit or HCP-fit. Without it, a hearing device won't be properly optimized to treat the individual's hearing loss. Emphasize the importance of the test and the steps you take to ensure accurate results.

2. Explain how your background in hearing care helps you fine-tune hearing devices to your patients' needs. Set proper expectations and help patients recognize that it can sometimes take a while to adapt to hearing with hearing aids — but you'll be there along the way to adjust the programming.

3. Reinforce the post-purchase support that you offer. When a patient purchases through you, they receive more than the product — they receive a guided journey to treating their hearing loss and access to expert troubleshooting when needed.

Are You Missing Out on Life's Sounds? Earlens Can Bring Them Back!

Take charge of your hearing health today.