Dear Loyal Chesapeake Hearing Centers Patients
All of our Chesapeake Hearing Centers offices are open at our regular hours and have safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, all of our providers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We welcome you to be seen in our offices, if appropriate, or to take advantage of our dropbox, curbside, or telehealth options. Please call (410) 881-0426 to see how we can best help you!
We know the challenges of hearing loss are amplified when you communicate at a six-feet distance, through masks, or over a video call. We also know that a large percentage of our patients belong to the groups most vulnerable to COVID-19. That is why we have procedures for drop-off hours, remote, and curbside service so you can take care of your hearing aids while also staying safe. When these options have been exhausted or are not appropriate for your issue, we are also open for in-office appointments with safety procedures in place.
New Patients
If you are new to our practice and concerned about your or a loved one’s hearing, the best place to start is with a hearing aid consultation with one of our providers in the office. However, if you do not feel comfortable coming into the office, one of our providers would be happy to talk to you on the phone or by video call (known as telehealth). There is no charge for either type of initial visit, and we can help guide you toward the best course of action. Our goal is to help you better understand the challenges you are having with your hearing and keep you safe at the same time. Please call us at (410) 881-0426 so we can answer your questions and schedule you for a virtual or in-person visit.
Existing Hearing Aid Users
On each day that an office is open for a full day (see schedule below), you can stop by between 9–10:30am to drop off your hearing aids in a designated drop-off bin outside the front door. Just call ahead to make sure we are open since sometimes we close for holidays or training and then call us again after you’ve placed your hearing aids in the drop-off bin. Rather than waiting for your hearing aids to be cleaned, you can leave and then return between 2:30–3pm when someone will bring your cleaned hearing aids out to your vehicle! Please read further instructions here.
- Annapolis – Monday-Friday
- Severna Park – Monday-Friday
- Columbia – No regular drop-off hours, please call to schedule
- Kent Island – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Easton – Monday-Friday
- Salisbury – Tuesday and Thursday
- Ocean Pines – Monday and Wednesday
While drop-off hours are the preferred method for routine cleanings and simple hearing aid problems, for more complicated problems it will be better to schedule a drop-and-wait service. As many of you have experienced, this system works by calling (888) 647-6428 to schedule a time to put your hearing aids in the small, white box outside our office (the box uses UV light to disinfect the hearing aids). Once you have placed your hearing aids in the box, you can return to wait in your car. It is important that you wait in your car at the office while we service your hearing aids. Once they are serviced, we’ll return them to the UV box. If you have a cell phone, it is critical that we have the number to avoid any confusion while carrying out this type of appointment.
When we need to adjust your hearing aids or fit you with new ones, curbside service is a possibility in many cases if you do not want to come into the office. You would set up an appointment during which we would come to your car to discuss your issues. If an adjustment is necessary, we can eliminate in-person contact by having the provider communicate from their car to your hearing aid in an adjoining car. If that is not sufficient, then we may need to take the hearing aids inside and adjust them and bring them back to you. The same method can be used to fit and adjust new hearing aids to your hearing loss.
We are also excited to offer telehealth services to both new and existing patients. With telehealth, you can speak with your provider over video call while remaining safe in your home. We’ll send you a link to a video conference through your email. You can also share the link with a relative or other companion so they can participate in the appointment even if they are calling in from a different state. For patients who have the newest technology, your provider can make programming changes and adjustments remotely while you are in the comfort of your home. When something seems wrong with your hearing aids, there are also remote troubleshooting options. You can call our office at (410) 881-0426 to see if these options are available for you.
If you do have an in-office appointment, know that we are practicing the highest levels of infection control to keep our patients safe. In addition, all of our providers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We require all patients to wear a mask during their appointments.
We will ask unvaccinated patients COVID-19 screening questions to protect them, other patients, and our staff. When you arrive, the temperature of unvaccinated patients will be checked with a touchless thermometer and you will be asked whether you have had a cough or shortness of breath in the last two weeks. We will also ask if you have experienced at least two of the following: fever; chills; repeated shaking with chills; muscle pain; headache; sore throat; new loss of taste; or new loss of smell.
If you have experienced any of these symptoms, you will need to present test results showing that you are negative for COVID-19 in order to be seen. Otherwise, we feel it is in the best interest of our other patients and staff that you postpone your in-office appointment. These requirements are also in effect for every staff member at CHC.
- We minimize the number of people in the office.
- The front office area is closed off with plexiglass to prevent airborne droplets from moving back and forth.
- You will be taken directly to the exam room. The exam room will be disinfected prior to your arrival.
- Prior to your visit, we will use an air filtering system to clean and sanitize the air (aerosol) of any residual particles.
- The provider will disinfect all instruments and devices prior to patient use.
- The provider will wear masks for all appointments and will use gloves when appropriate.
- Additionally, when testing hearing, headphones will be disinfected.
- Your hearing aids will be cleaned and completely sanitized by FDA-approved chemicals and finished with a three-minute ultraviolet treatment.
Your safety is our primary concern. If you have any other questions, please call (410) 881-0426. We are here to help in any way we can.