"During this month, we encourage the public to get their hearing tested since it's so important to their overall health and well-being," said Doss, who is a Doctor of Audiology and owner of Doss Audiology & Hearing Center in Schertz. "There are approximately 28 million Americans that have hearing loss that could benefit from treatment or remediation. We want to help identify and educate the public about healthy hearing, protecting their hearing and then ways to treat hearing loss if we do in fact find some during an examination."
A person's hearing health affects their overall health, according to Doss, and many studies show that hearing loss is associated with dementia and cognitive decline.
"People with hearing loss are three times more likely to have a fall or balance issues,” Doss said. It's something that everyone should get checked and keep in the forefront of their mind."
However, that may not always be the case as the average person waits five to seven years before coming in for a hearing test from when they first started noticing the hearing loss.
"Our hearing changes very gradually, and we become accustomed to the way we hear. You will just start turning up the TV or radio more, asking people to repeat, then saying, 'Oh, they just mumble,’” Doss said. “Hearing loss can be easy to explain away for a while, but as soon as you notice any of those signs, it's time to get a hearing checkup."
Especially during the month of October, Doss hopes people will not ignore any of those signs and will come in and seek the help of a professional.
"Our offices staff only Doctors of Audiology, so patients will only receive the highest level and quality of care," Doss said. "Our goal is to really treat the patient and develop individualized treatment plans for everyone."
Doss’ passion for helping others started while attending high school in San Antonio, when she studied sign language in a four-year language program and became involved with the deaf community.
"I learned sign language and wanted to have a profession that supported that community and worked with them because I developed a passion for it," Doss said.
That passion led to starting her own business, and in 2023, Doss Audiology will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
"We have been in Schertz since 2013 and in 2018, opened up a location in Floresville. We have grown substantially from our early days," Doss said. "We now have four audiologists between the two locations. The communities have been fantastic to us.”
Additionally, Doss is the Schertz ISD's audiologist. Her duties include checking on students in the school to make sure their hearing aids are working properly and to make sure they have the equipment needed for the school year.
“That's been really fun, and I have been doing that for seven years now. We are really steeped into the community, and I am seeing kids that I started seeing when they were little and now they are in college,” Doss said. “It's been really great to see that evolution."
In addition to staying involved in different facets of the community, Doss Audiology is committed to providing excellent customer service. Jenny Blanco-Doe is the practice's Doctor of Audiology who speaks Spanish.
"That has been really quite an asset to be able to have a whole community feel like they can really understand the results and someone understands them," Doss said. "It has opened up a whole new world in our clinic. We are really proud to have that as well as bilingual front office staff, so the whole front end and back end experience are enhanced for Spanish speaking individuals."
By staying current on the latest technologies and techniques, the doctors at Doss Audiology are also constantly continuing their education.
"One of my audiologists was trained at the Mayo Clinic. We have been working with kids and are a preferred provider for the Children's Hospital of San Antonio," she said. "We pride ourselves on continuing our education and providing a top-notch high quality of care."
Doss Audiology accepts most insurance plans that cover annual hearing evaluations, making this the perfect time to schedule an appointment. Regardless of their hearing loss severity, Doss Audiology can help patients establish baselines to review each year at an annual appointment.
To learn more about Doss Audiology, visit their website or call 210-819-5002 for more information.
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