Hearing Assessments

What Is a Hearing Assessment?

Hearing loss affects far more than just how well you hear. Patients often tell us — and research confirms — that hearing health is closely connected to overall wellness, emotional well-being, independence, and the quality of your relationships.

At Professional Hearing Services, our hearing assessments are designed to do more than measure sound. We use a comprehensive ear-to-brain approach to understand how your hearing system is functioning and how it impacts your daily life. Early, accurate assessment allows us to identify concerns sooner, explain what’s happening clearly, and create a personalized plan that fits your goals, lifestyle, and listening needs.

Professional Hearing Services is proud to be certified through both HearingLoss.com and HearingUp.com. These certifications recognize practices that meet nationally respected standards for clinical excellence, ethical recommendations, and patient-centered hearing care —ensuring your hearing assessment is thorough, evidence-based, and focused on long-term outcomes.

We proudly serve patients throughout Meridian Kessler, Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Meridian Hills, Williams Creek, Nora, and the greater Indianapolis area.

What to Expect During Your Hearing Assessment

Your first visit is thorough, unhurried, and collaborative. New patient appointments are scheduled for up to 120 minutes, allowing time for evaluation, discussion, and education — not just testing.

Step One

Introduction & Case History

We begin by getting to know you.

Before your appointment, you’ll complete a Hearing Healthcare Questionnaire and, if applicable, a Companion Questionnaire. These help us understand your concerns from both your perspective and that of someone who shares your daily life.

During your visit, your audiologist will review these forms and ask additional questions to take a deeper dive into:

Your medical history and hearing health
When and where you notice hearing difficulties
Situations that feel most challenging (restaurants, meetings, family gatherings, etc.)
Your listening goals and expectations

We also use the Client-Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI), a goal-setting tool that helps you identify and prioritize the situations where better hearing would make the biggest difference in your life.

A couple of patients sitting in the lobby conversing with Dr. Suzanne O'Conner

Dr. Amanda Rosinko performing an Otoscopy on a patient

Step Two

Step Two: Ear Examination (Otoscopy)

Next, your audiologist performs a careful examination of your ears using an otoscope or video otoscope.

This allows us to:

Evaluate the health of your ear canal and eardrum
Check for wax buildup, irritation, infection, or visible damage
Identify any conditions that may need medical attention before further testing

This step ensures that any hearing difficulties aren’t being caused — or worsened — by outer or middle-ear concerns.

Step Three

Step Three: Comprehensive Audiological Assessment

This portion of the assessment helps us pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and understand how your hearing system is functioning as a whole.

Your assessment may include:

Air Conduction Testing
This is the test most people picture — listening for tones through headphones and responding when you hear them. It measures how softly you can hear sounds across a range of pitches and reflects how your entire hearing system is working together.
Bone Conduction Testing
Using a small bone oscillator, we stimulate the inner ear directly. Comparing these results to air conduction helps us determine the type of hearing loss (conductive vs. sensorineural).
Speech Reception Thresholds
This test identifies the quietest level at which you can understand speech and serves as a cross-check to confirm test accuracy.
Word Recognition Scores
This measures how clearly you understand speech when it’s loud enough to hear comfortably. Results help us predict how much benefit amplification may provide and guide treatment recommendations.
Speech-in-Noise Testing
Because real life isn’t quiet, this assessment evaluates how well you understand speech in background noise. Tests may be performed through headphones, inserts, or in a sound field to assess how your ears work together in everyday environments.

Dr. Olivia Patterson helps a patient settle into the hearing booth for a comprehensive hearing assessment.

Dr. Olivia Patterson goes through treatment options with a patient and their spouse

Step Four

Step Four: Results, Education & Treatment Options

Once your assessment is complete, your audiologist will review the results with you — and your companion, if present —in clear, easy-to-understand language.

We connect the findings directly to:

Your symptoms
Your listening challenges
Your personal goals

If treatment is recommended, we’ll discuss options that align with your lifestyle, whether that includes work, travel, social activities, or time with family.

Demonstration of Prescriptive Hearing Devices (When Appropriate)

If hearing devices are recommended, your audiologist may program one or more options specifically to your hearing profile. This allows you to experience potential benefits firsthand and helps guide the final recommendation.

Additional testing may be completed with devices in place to evaluate real-world performance.

Final Recommendations

Your audiologist will provide education, answer questions, and outline next steps. Recommendations may include:

Hearing Aids
Modern digital devices offer discreet designs, advanced sound processing, Bluetooth connectivity, and rechargeable options to support daily life.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
Technology designed to enhance conversations, television listening, and phone use—especially in challenging environments.

Talk to us about treatment options

Certified Standards in Hearing Health care

Professional Hearing Services holds certifications through HearingLoss.com and HearingUp.com, two organizations focused on advancing higher standards in hearing health care.

These certifications reflect our commitment to:

Evidence-based audiologic assessment
Transparent, ethical treatment recommendations
Patient education and shared decision-making
Care that prioritizes long-term hearing health — not just short-term solutions

For patients, this means added confidence that your hearing assessment and treatment recommendations align with nationally recognized best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

The testing portion typically takes 20–40 minutes. However, new-patient appointments are scheduled for up to 120 minutes to allow time for all four steps, discussion, and personalized recommendations.

We generally recommend annual hearing assessments, especially if you’re exposed to noise through work or recreation. If you’re already noticing hearing difficulties or tinnitus, scheduling an assessment sooner is encouraged.

Discover the Professional Hearing Services Difference

If you are seeking expert, individualized hearing care in Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Meridian Hills, Meridian-Kessler, or Williams Creek, contact Professional Hearing Services today. Experience the local experts trusted by patients and physicians alike for over 40 years.

The front facade of the Professional Hearing Services building