Health care is crucial in a community as it addresses the overall well-being of individuals, promotes disease prevention, and ensures equitable access to medical services. By focusing on community health, it helps reduce health disparities and enhances the quality of life for all residents. A very important attribute of Godfrey is the access to an array of health care alternatives. One of those quality alternatives is Professional Hearing Associates.

Professional Hearing Associates continually raises the bar in providing exceptional hearing health care. They use advanced diagnostic and fitting technology to ensure the perfect devices for individual hearing needs, and with outstanding personalized attention to the patient’s care.

Dr. Joe Hopper has served the Riverbend area as an audiologist for more than 30 years. He was with another local practice until 2018. When that practice was sold to investors, he and his wife, Kim, established Professional Hearing Associates. “We have always felt that personalized care to the patient is critical, and worried that working for an investor-owned practice would put profit over patient satisfaction,” said Dr. Hopper. Along with Dr. Michelle Cramer, the practice has a combined record of service to the Riverbend area for nearly 30 years. Kim Hopper, a former teacher, is the office manager and takes care of patient coordination.

Professional Hearing Associates is the only practice with Doctors of Audiology in the immediate area. Becoming an audiologist requires eight years of schooling and clinical training. With hearing loss, trust in audiologist helps to make the right decisions for hearing health. While it’s becoming more common to order hearing aids online, or even purchase assistive listening devices over the counter, a consultation with a trained Doctor of Audiology is the key to finding the perfect hearing devices to match lifestyle and hearing needs. Hearing devices are NOT a one-size-fits-all medical device. There are special algorithms, programming challenges that occur, cerumen (wax) issues occasionally, and consultations that are needed to help each individual patient.

Audiologists are not the same as hearing instrument specialists. Audiologists have a master’s or doctorate degree in audiology, and have in-depth knowledge of the auditory and vestibular systems. They also have extensive training in hearing devices, know what programs will treat your unique hearing loss, and are experts when it comes to fitting and adjusting hearing aids.

Hearing instrument specialists and licensed hearing aid dispensers, on the other hand, have special training in hearing aid technology, but not in the human ear and brain. They specialize in fitting hearing devices, assistive listening devices, and other hearing technology. They have experience in performing basic hearing evaluations and are qualified to dispense hearing aids. That does not mean that they have eight years of training from an accredited University setting. Taking time to educate the patient on matters related to their hearing is very important to the doctors of the practice. Upon comprehensive examination and assessment, the doctors will fully explain what issues might be occurring. Using diagrams and illustrations appearing throughout the office, the cause of the hearing concerns is framed to be understandable by the patient.

Professional Hearing Associates is also committed to the local community. They are continuous supporters of Senior Service Plus. They support many local fundraising events through participation and sponsorships. They have many reciprocal relationships with other local businesses, which strengthens the overall economic strength of the community. Their network of ENTs (Ear, Nose and Throat) and Otologists in the local and St. Louis areas is what sets them apart from others. They become the area’s leading clinic for referrals from area physicians.

For the convenience of patients, Professional Hearing Associates has offices in Godfrey, Jerseyville, and Chester.