gehoorcentrum

A gehoorcentrum, or hearing center, is a healthcare facility specializing in the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of hearing and balance disorders. Centers may operate as standalone practices, as part of hospitals, or within larger medical groups, and serve both adults and children.

Services commonly offered include diagnostic audiology, such as pure-tone audiometry and speech audiometry, tympanometry and other middle-ear tests, and assessments for balance disorders. They also provide fitting and programming of hearing aids, access to cochlear implant referrals, and other assistive listening devices. In addition, gehoorcentra offer rehabilitation and counseling, including communication strategies, tinnitus management, and auditory training. Some centers provide pediatric audiology with child-friendly testing environments.

Staff typically includes audiologists or hearing aid dispensers, sometimes supported by ENT doctors, speech-language pathologists, and technicians. Collaboration with primary care physicians helps determine the need for further testing or treatment, and referrals to surgeons for cochlear implants or middle-ear surgery may occur when necessary.

Access to gehoorcentra varies by country: in many systems they operate as private practices funded by patients or insurers, while in others they are part of hospital services or public health networks. Care is generally arranged through appointments, with follow-up visits to monitor device performance, track progress, and adjust settings as needed. The overarching aim is to improve speech understanding, communication, and quality of life for people affected by hearing loss or balance disorders.