Highly Functional Remote Support Solution
Signia has had a telecare support system for quite a while, and they introduced a new more functional telecare solution with the launch of the Nx hearing aid range. They made the Telecare service a live service and enabled full live remote tuning with video support. The service allows you to set-up a video call with your hearing professional and have your hearing aids fine-tuned. They set the system up so that that your hearing professional can tweak your hearing aid’s settings live while you are talking to them. It means that both you and they can quickly assess if the setting changes are better.
What Do You Need?
For the system to work, you need a hearing aid that is compatible with the system (Binax*, Primax*, Nx* or X hearing aids only), a smartphone (either Android or Apple) and finally, your professional to set it up for you. The hearing healthcare professional needs to set you up in the system in their programming software. To do so, they will need a cell phone number which they register.
The system will then send you a text message with instructions and a link to the app. The instructions will include a unique identifying pin that you need to enter into the app when you are setting it up. Once you have completed the set-up, you are good to go.
*The full system works directly with Bluetooth hearing aids, that would be most of the Nx and all of the current X aids. In the older aids, the functionality is accessed via sounds emitted from the phone.
How is it Done
Once you have set up the app you simply tell your professional it is done. They then set up an appointment time with you as normal, except you simply join the meeting in your smartphone app. Once you do, your professional can then connect to your hearing aids via the app and make any changes that you need while discussing your experiences with you. With the older or non-Bluetooth hearing aids, you can still join a video call, but your hearing care professional does not connect to the hearing aids, they push setting changes out to them. Let me explain.
Full Control Nx and X only
With most Nx and all X hearing aids available, your hearing care professional has almost complete live control over the fine-tuning, just as they would if you were in the clinic. With the older hearing aids, your professional has a more basic fine-tuning option, but it is probably enough for some quick changes in a time of need.
What they can do with the older hearing aids is to chat with you about your needs, make the changes in their software and then send the changes to you. You will receive a notification from your app and you can then apply the changes. When you do so, you will hear a confirmation chime in your hearing aids. If you don't, you just do it again.
One way or the other, if you have Signia hearing aids, are in lockdown and you need help, then there may be remote support available to you. Please stay safe during this time, limit your contact to only the people you live with and only make essential journeys. Take care.
