Your First Visit with WMMAS
Here is exactly what to expect when Dr Finkler comes to you.
Most people who contact WMMAS have been putting off a hearing evaluation for longer than they want to admit. The clinic felt like too much effort. The appointment felt like too big a commitment, so they waited.
A WMMAS visit changes that calculation completely. Dr. Finkler comes to you, brings everything she needs, and spends 90 unhurried minutes focused entirely on your hearing. Here is what that actually looks like.
$325
Visit Fee
90 minutes
Complete Visit
No clinic visit
At any stage
Bring a loved one
Always welcome
What to do before Dr. Finkler arrives.
Not much. That is genuinely the answer. You do not need to prepare a special space, move furniture, or do anything clinical in advance. Here is what actually helps:
Pick a reasonably quiet room. A living room, bedroom, or dining area works well. Complete silence is not necessary, but a room away from a loud television or busy kitchen makes testing conditions cleaner. If you are in a senior living facility, a private area of a common room works perfectly.
Invite someone you trust. A spouse, an adult child, a close friend. Whoever understands your daily life and the listening situations that matter to you is welcome to be in the room. Hearing evaluations are often more meaningful when someone who knows you well is there to hear the results and ask questions alongside you.
Have your hearing aids handy if you wear them. If you currently wear hearing aids, bring them out. Dr. Finkler will check their condition and performance as part of the visit.
Complete your intake forms in advance. You will receive a link to complete your patient intake forms before the appointment. Taking ten minutes to fill these out beforehand means more of your 90 minutes goes toward your actual care.
What happens during your appointment.
Step 1: Dr. Finkler arrives
Dr. Finkler shows up at your door at the agreed time with a calibrated audiometer, tympanometer, otoscope, and everything else needed to conduct a complete clinical evaluation. The equipment she uses meets the same standards as a hospital audiology department. The only difference is that it fits in a carrying case.
She will take a few minutes to set up and get oriented to your space before the appointment begins. If family members or a caregiver are present, everyone gets introduced. There is no clock on the waiting room wall, no other patients to get back to, and no reason to rush.
Clinical-grade portable equipment, same standards as any hospital audiology department. Any room works. Apartment, house, senior living facility, or community center. Family and caregivers are welcome throughout the entire visit. 90 minutes, unhurried, focused entirely on you.
Step 2: Ear canal check
Before any testing begins, Dr. Finkler examines your ear canals with an otoscope. Earwax buildup is more common than most people realize, and it can significantly affect test accuracy. Checking and addressing this before testing starts is standard clinical practice that sometimes gets skipped in a rushed clinic environment.
If wax removal is needed, it can often be handled during the same visit as part of the 90-minute appointment.
Step 3: Your hearing evaluation
Dr. Finkler conducts a complete diagnostic hearing evaluation. This includes pure tone audiometry, bone conduction testing, and speech recognition testing. These are the same tests performed at any audiology clinic, with calibrated equipment that meets full clinical standards.
The evaluation is not uncomfortable. You will wear headphones and respond to tones and words at varying volumes. Most people find it straightforward and are surprised by how much information it generates.
The $325 visit fee covers the ear canal check, the full diagnostic evaluation, and the hearing aid consultation that follows if appropriate. You will leave with a complete audiogram and written results summary the same day, suitable for sharing with your physician.
Step 4: Understanding your results
Your audiogram does not go into a folder. Dr. Finkler walks through it with you and anyone else in the room, in plain language, connecting the numbers on the page to the real situations in your life.
What does this mean for following a conversation at a family dinner? For hearing the television clearly without turning it up? For talking on the phone? For understanding what someone is saying when they are not facing you directly?
When the people who are part of your daily life understand your audiogram alongside you, outcomes are consistently better. The hearing aids that get worn every day are almost always the ones whose importance was understood by more than just the person wearing them.
Step 5: Honest guidance on hearing aids
If your results suggest hearing aids would benefit you, Dr. Finkler walks you through the options. She works with six leading manufacturers and multiple technology tiers. There is no inventory to move and no manufacturer relationship that influences what she recommends. The recommendation is based on your audiogram, your lifestyle, and your budget.
Technology Tiers
Essential
Clear, reliable hearing in quiet environments and one-on-one conversation. A strong choice for patients whose primary listening situations are relatively straightforward.
Advanced
Better performance in group settings, restaurants, and other environments with competing sounds. A meaningful step up for patients who are socially active or regularly in noisier situations.
Premium
The best available performance in complex, demanding listening environments. Recommended for patients with active social lives, work obligations, or specific high-performance listening needs.
Most Popular
If you are not ready to make a decision about hearing aids at today's appointment, that is completely fine. The evaluation stands entirely on its own. You leave with a full audiogram and a clear picture of your hearing. What comes next is your decision, on your timeline.
What happens next
Dr. Finkler places the order for your devices after the consultation. When they arrive, she schedules a fitting appointment at your home or preferred location, at no additional charge. The fitting is where real-world adjustment happens, in the actual space where you live and the actual acoustic environment you navigate every day. If your partner's voice is not quite right, she adjusts. If the television sounds sharp, she adjusts. You do not leave the fitting with a list of things to address at a future appointment.
Follow-up care
Included with every hearing aid purchase is a follow-up visit at a time of your choosing. Ongoing clean and check appointments, adjustments, and device support are available through WMMAS's standard service schedule.
If you are not ready to decide
No follow-up pressure. Dr. Finkler provides your audiogram and written results summary. If you want to think it over, share the results with a family member, or get a second opinion, all of that is completely reasonable. When you are ready, WMMAS is here.
Before you book
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The visit fee covers the full 90-minute appointment: ear canal check, complete diagnostic hearing evaluation including pure tone audiometry, bone conduction, and speech recognition testing, and a hearing aid consultation if appropriate. You leave with a complete audiogram and written results summary the same day.
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Yes, and it is genuinely encouraged. A spouse, adult child, caregiver, or close friend is welcome to be present for the entire appointment. Hearing the evaluation results as a household consistently leads to better outcomes and better long-term use of hearing aids.
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No referral is needed. You can schedule directly. If your physician recommended a hearing evaluation, Brittany provides written results that can be added to your medical record.
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Bring them to the appointment. Brittany will assess their condition, check whether they are programmed appropriately for your current hearing, and let you know whether adjustments or a different direction might serve you better.
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The evaluation is complete and useful entirely on its own. You are not committing to anything beyond the appointment itself. Your audiogram is yours to keep and share however you choose.
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Yes. HSA and FSA funds can be applied toward both the visit fee and any hearing aid purchase. Itemized receipts are provided for all services. Care Credit financing is also available for hearing aid purchases once WMMAS enrollment is in place.
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A reasonably quiet room and about 90 minutes. Complete your intake forms in advance if possible. Bring your current hearing aids if you wear them. Everything else Brittany brings with her.
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WMMAS regularly provides services at senior living facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living communities across West Michigan. If your facility does not yet have a relationship with WMMAS, ask your director or activity coordinator to reach out. A private room or quiet common area is all that is needed.
90 minutes. Your home. Better hearing.
Scheduling is straightforward and same-week appointments are often available. Head to our booking page and confirm your location is within our service area, then choose a time that works for you.