Hearing Wellness Center Reopens For In-Person Appointments
The center is taking a few precautions to allow for in-person visits including requiring patients to wait in their cars until their scheduled appointment begins.
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has now allowed some health providers including hearing treatment centers to reopen.
These health providers are required to put safety precautions in place as the pandemic continues.
The Hearing Wellness Center in Duluth has continued caring for patients during the Minnesota Stay-at-home order, but only through telehealth appointments.
The organization is looking forward to getting back to servicing patients in their building, but with a few adjustments to continue helping to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The center is taking a few precautions to allow for in-person visits including requiring patients to wait in their cars until their scheduled appointment begins.
Staff members are screening all patients by taking their temperatures prior to their appointments.
Everyone, including employees, is being required to wear masks.
Unfortunately, regular masks create a few challenges when helping patients, as a mask can muffle sound.
The Hearing Wellness Center received a donation of masks that have a special window, which allows hearing impaired patients to read lips.
Other technology is also being used to transcribe conversations during appointments.
“When medical professionals are communicating things that are really important that have to do with a patient’s health, some things might be missed, ” said Audiologist Sara Downs. “These are some safety measures we are taking to ensure patients are getting all the information we are conveying.
The Hearing Wellness Center tests and treats hearing loss.
The organization also serves patients who have other hearing-impaired ailments.
The Hearing Wellness Center hopes more people will donate masks with the plastic window to local hospitals to allow for better treatment of hearing-impaired patients.
