Livonia, Michigan, October 21, 2014 – Owner of Hearing Instruments Inc., Julia Beall- McKelvey, donated a record-breaking $15,000 to the International Hearing Society’s (IHS) advocacy fund in support of veteran-oriented initiative, Fit to Serve. Beall-McKelvey announced her personal donation during the IHS annual membership meeting which was held during the 63rd Annual International Hearing Society (IHS) Convention & Expo, in Palm Springs, California, September 18-20, 2014.
Pictured from left to right: Tom Higgins, ACA, BC-HIS, president of IHS, Julia Beall-McKelvey, ACA, BC-HIS, and Kathleen Mennillo, MBA, executive director of IHS.
The Fit to Serve initiative, founded by IHS, seeks to improve veterans’ access to hearing healthcare services by enabling licensed hearing aid specialists to serve as VA providers, and subsequently allow veterans to receive care locally and in a timely fashion. In trying to access care through their closest Veterans Affairs clinics, many veterans are currently faced with long wait times for appointments, limited services, or long travel – each of which contributes to suboptimal outcomes for our nation’s heroes. With two active bills in Congress aimed at achieving these goals, Beall-McKelvey’s donation will help advance this important legislation.
By supporting this initiative, Beall-McKelvey also displayed her ongoing commitment to serving the veterans in her community, many of whom opt to seek care at their own expense through her practice rather than through the VA. But, she says, this should not have to be the case. “Our veterans have earned the right to receive high-quality healthcare and should be able to access hearing aids through their provider of choice. Hearing impairment can lead to depression, strain relationships, and contribute to more complex physiological conditions, among other things, and we need to do all we can to lift these heroes up,” said Beall-McKelvey about the Fit to Serve initiative.
Beall-McKelvey is a 17-year member of IHS and has been a licensed hearing aid specialist in Pennsylvania for 21 years. She owns and operates 35 Miracle-Ear franchise practices across the state, and with the help of the tremendous professionals who work with her, cares for more than 45,000 patients. Hearing Instruments Inc. has earned the coveted A+ ranking by the Better Business Bureau and can be reached at (717)761-7201.
About the International Hearing Society:
Founded in 1951, IHS is a membership association that represents hearing healthcare professionals worldwide. IHS members are engaged in the practice of testing human hearing and selecting, fitting, and dispensing hearing aids and counseling patients. Learn more about IHS by visiting www.ihsinfo.org or the Fit to Serve initiative at www.fittoserve.us.
