For Leanne Polhill, BA, BC-HIS, hearing care is a family practice. This hits on many levels as Polhill is a second-generation hearing care professional, following in her parents’ footsteps, and she is growing the next generation of hearing care professionals as her daughter recently became a licensed hearing aid specialist. Her independent, multi-line office, Encore Hearing Care in Port Orange, Florida, prides itself on being “a family practice that takes care of your family.” In addition to working 35 years in the profession, Polhill has devoted time to volunteering in her Florida chapter, on the Florida Board of Hearing Aid Specialists, and in multiple committees and leadership positions with IHS.
Polhill often delivers one or two seminar hours on Ethics during chapter meetings, providing valuable continuing education credits. Her work on the Florida Licensing Board has provided a front-row seat to the challenges faced by the profession in a state with a very large retirement aged population. The Florida Board and Chapter remain vigilant to outside entities that come to the state and try to de-regulate hearing care and the profession. The Florida Board has experienced multiple victories over litigation regarding licensure and deregulation in the last decade, of which Polhill was directly involved.
About IHS, she most appreciates the fact that IHS protects the rights of Hearing Aid Specialists to practice. Polhill is exceedingly optimistic about the profession: “Hearing Aid Specialists have an extraordinary profession that truly changes people’s lives through addressing their hearing loss. We also provide the human connection that people need and we are able to spend the time to really get to know people, learn about their needs, and involve their family in working on solutions to hearing. Actually, we probably get to spend more time with clients than perhaps other medical professionals get to spend time with them on their journey to better hearing.”