OHSU Tinnitus Clinic - Patients
OHSU Tinnitus Clinic Visit Guide
The following information is provided to you on this page. Please scroll down to find out more about:
- The Clinic Visit
- What to Bring
- The Initial Appointment
- Patient Fees and Third-Party Payments
- Tinnitus Assistance Program
The Clinic Visit
This page will answer some questions about the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic and help you to prepare for an appointment. If you have any questions about our services or location, please call us at 503 494-7954 or email us at ohrc@ohsu.edu.
If you are interested in being treated at the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic, you should first be examined by an ear specialist or general physician to rule out the possibility of a medical reason for your condition. The treatments we offer are relief procedures, not a cure.
You should plan to spend about four hours in our clinic during the first appointment. Our clinic and patient treatment process is a team effort, so you will be seen by more than one health care professional during an appointment.
What to Bring
Once you are scheduled to visit the Clinic, three questionnaires will be sent to you. These forms should be completed before you arrive for the first appointment. The questionnaires include:
- tinnitus history (white)
- hearing history (pink)
- medical and general health history (gray )
Medical records from your referring doctor or other doctors seen for tinnitus would be helpful. You should request the doctor(s) mail or fax the records to us as soon as possible, so that the records can be reviewed by our Clinic before you come for your appointment. Make sure you include a list of ALL medications, including as much information about the medication and dosage amounts you were taking when the tinnitus started, as well as those taken at the time of the appointment. Your list should include all over the counter medications (herbal supplements, aspirin, vitamins) and prescriptions that you are taking.
The First Appointment
During the first appointment at the Tinnitus Clinic, you will meet with staff members for an in-depth interview and review of your medical, hearing, and tinnitus history and conditions. You will receive information about the possible causes of tinnitus as well as advice and help regarding factors that could make the condition worse, or better.
Comprehensive audiological evaluations.
During your first appointment, you will be evaluated on several aspects of hearing (audiology), such as:
- Evaluations which characterize (volume, sound, etc of the tinnitus) and quantify (how long, how often, etc) your tinnitus.
- Evaluations of acoustic therapies which are designed to provide immediate relief and to help with the long-term reduction of tinnitus awareness by “retraining” your brain on how it processes noise
After your evaluations, one of our clinic staff will review the results of your evaluations, and will discuss with you a possible treatment plan and other recommendations. Follow-up visits are scheduled as needed, and are especially encouraged 6, 12, and 18 months after the first appointment.
Our goal is to help our patients understand and gain control over their tinnitus, rather than it having control them. We always hope to help patients progress to the point where tinnitus is no longer a negative factor in their lives.
We offer a variety of effective treatments for patients with severe, ongoing tinnitus. The treatments are non-surgical and non-invasive, but the treatments do take a long time. Since the treatments take so long, many doctors are unwilling, or unable, to offer these types of treatments. This is not a criticism of any doctors. However, it is necessary to understand that the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic is a collection of health care professionals with specialized training who are willing and able to invest the time necessary to help our tinnitus patients.
Patient Fees and Third-Party Payments
A list of clinic fees is available. You should check with your insurance company to determine if Tinnitus Clinic fees are covered under your insurance benefits. If a referral from the insurance company or primary physician is required, obtain this before the appointment date.
We accept payment by cash, personal check Visa or MasterCard. We do not accept American Express
Tinnitus Assistance Program
The OHSU Tinnitus Clinic established the Tinnitus Assistance Program in 1999 with the support of the Linden Foundation and generous donations from grateful patients, families and friends. The program provides financial assistance for qualified patients on an adjusted scale based upon family size and income. Patients in need of tinnitus treatment, but who cannot pay for the treatment, should contact us to see if you qualify for the assistance program. If you have questions about the Tinnitus Assistance Program, please contact Huong Nguyen at 503 494-7954 or email ohrc@ohsu.edu.
Referring Patients to the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic
If you are a physician interested in referring a patient to the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic, please call Huong at 503 494-7954 to schedule a first appointment. Medical records should be faxed to 503 494-5656 prior to the appointment. Pertinent medical records should include any chart notes or audiograms you may have for the patient.
Once you call us with the initial referral, our clinic will contact the patient and gather insurance information. Insurance must be verified prior to scheduling the appointment.
How to Make an Appointment
To schedule an appointment, or to get more information about our program, services, or doctors, at the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic, please call 503 494-7954 or email ohrc@ohsu.edu.
Clinic hours (pacific coast time - USA) are Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM .
We are located on the OHSU Marquam Hill Campus in the Hatfield Research Center (HRC)
