Frequently Asked Questions
The questions patients ask most, answered plainly.
If your question is not here, call the office and ask. Nobody minds, and it is usually quicker than searching for it.
About Visits
**Do you really come to my home?** Yes. Dr. Crawford brings the same diagnostic equipment used in the office to homes, assisted living communities, memory care, senior centres, and adult day programmes across East Tennessee. **Can I come to the office instead?** Of course. Hometown Hearing has an office in Knoxville, and many patients prefer it. Both options give you the same evaluation and the same unhurried appointment. **How long does a first appointment take?** About an hour. That includes time to talk before any testing starts, which is the part most practices skip.
About Your Care
**Will I be pressured to buy hearing aids?** No. If your hearing is normal you will be told so. If treatment would help, your options are explained honestly and you are free to take that home and think about it. **Who will I see?** Dr. Ashley Crawford, every time. You will not be passed between providers or handed to a salesperson. **What if I need medical treatment rather than a hearing aid?** You will be referred to the right physician. Some hearing problems are medical, and recognising which ones is part of a Doctor of Audiology’s job.
About Hearing Aids
**Which brands do you carry?** ReSound, Signia, Phonak, Starkey, Oticon, and Widex. Being independent means the recommendation is based on your hearing and your life, not on a quota. **Are the tiny invisible ones as good?** Sometimes, and sometimes not. Very small devices have real trade-offs in battery life, features, and the degree of hearing loss they can handle. That conversation belongs after your evaluation, not before it. **What about over-the-counter hearing aids?** They can suit certain people with mild loss. They are not fitted to your prescription or verified in your ear, which is where most of the benefit comes from. You are welcome to ask for an honest opinion on whether they make sense for you.