When most people have a health concern, they typically begin with a visit to a primary care physician to determine the best course of action. We rely heavily on the knowledge base of these providers, but what happens if they aren’t up to date on current practices within a specialty?

A recent study, conducted at the Cleveland Clinic, found that primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants often lack a basic understanding of the hearing and balance systems. While essentially all agreed that knowing the definition of normal hearing was important, less than half actually knew what it was. Perhaps more concerning, however, is that half didn’t think anything can be done about hearing loss and only a small fraction knew that hearing loss is preventable.

While these numbers are alarming, physicians are not completely at fault. A recent study found that physicians would need 27 hours per day to stay up to date on research and best practices; in other words, they literally do not have enough time in the day.

The solution? Relieve the burden of primary care physicians and let specialists take care of specialized care. Audiologists are the hearing and balance specialists within the healthcare system and are well versed in the management of hearing loss, prevention of future losses, and maximization of communication. With Tuned, employers can give their employees the specialized hearing care they need, a particularly essential service for the 25% of the current workforce with hearing issues.