Hearing Aid Technologies
The Florida Hospital Hearing Centers provide
comprehensive testing and diagnosis for
adults and children with hearing problems.
We are committed to continually providing
the latest technology in hearing products
and equipment through partnerships with
world-leading manufacturers. Through a multi-disciplinary
approach our staff works closely together
to provide you with the best care possible.
The Florida Hospital Hearing Centers make
it possible for our staff to utilize state-of-the-art
technology in the testing, diagnosis and
treatment of hearing problems. At our facilities,
you have access to a variety of hearing
aid styles and technology. Our unique, 30-day
trial period lets you take home highly technological
products for testing in your personal listening
environment.
Premium digital hearing aids provide the
best results for difficult listening environments
– areas that may produce large amounts
of background noise. Entry level digital
hearing aids are available for those individuals
whose lifestyles and hearing problems are
more compatible with this technology.
Premier Health members receive a 20
percent discount on all new hearing
aid products.
Interdisciplinary Treatment
The Florida Hospital Hearing Centers work
closely with other related disciplines
to help you design a well-rounded treatment
plan. Joint efforts with the Vestibular
and Balance Management Program include
clinical audiology from the Hearing Center
and therapy from vestibular rehabilitation
team.
Our focus at the Hearing Centers is to
assist our physicians in making appropriate
balance or dizziness diagnoses by providing
Electronystagmography (ENG), Auditory
Brainstem Response (ABR) and Electrocochleograph
(ECOG) testing. We provide treatment consultation
for clients who have been diagnosed with
a vestibular and balance disorder.
Programs and Services
Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Management
Provides diagnosis and treatment for patients
with tinnitus (ringing or other noises
in ear) and hyperacusis (hypersensitivity
to sounds). Audiologists work to maximize
treatment efforts that may reduce the
impact of tinnitus and hyperacusis.
Infant Hearing Program
Provides diagnostic hearing evaluations
for infants that did not pass the initial
hearing screening in the hospital prior
to discharge. The hearing tests are performed
by the audiology team using non-invasive
ABR and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) testing.
Auditory Processing Disorders Program
(APD)
Provides diagnosis and treatment for children
with auditory processing disorders (APD).
When we are evaluating processing ability
we are looking at what the brain does
with what the ear hears! Children and
adults may be evaluated. Common complaints
may include difficulty understanding in
background noise despite normal hearing
sensitivity, difficulty following multistep
directions, and academic achievement difficulty
despite normal IQ. A clinical audiologist
and a speech language pathologist will
provide a team approach to treatment.
Four Convenient Locations to Serve You:
Altamonte: 608 East Altamonte Drive, Suite 1100
407-303-2273
East Orlando: 7975 Lake Underhill Road, Suite 345
407-303-2273
Lake Mary: 100 Waymont Court, Suite 120
407-323-0399
Orlando: 5165 Adanson Street
407-303-7600
Hearing Centers Staff
Lisa Spiegel, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology - Altamonte Hearing Center
Lisa Spiegel is the senior member of the Florida Hospital Audiology team, where she has served since 1994. During her time at Florida Hospital, she has enjoyed developing relationships with many patients, built on trust and caring. She received both her undergraduate and graduate training at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. After school, she completed an internship in Jacksonville, Florida, at the Mayo Clinic, the Nemours’s Children’s Clinic and the Universal Medical Center. She received her doctorate degree in 2004 from the Arizona School of Health Sciences. Lisa is currently working at the Florida Hospital Hearing Center in Altamonte Springs.
Jane Walberg, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology – Orlando Hearing Center In 1979, Jane Walberg began studying to become a Speech Therapist. Clinical experiences with deaf/hard-of-hearing children and adults, exposed her to an entirely different sort of healthcare -- Audiology. Both Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders and Master’s Degree in Audiology were from universities in Missouri. Since her first hospital Audiologist position in St. Louis 25 years ago, Jane has been an Occupational/Hearing Conservation Audiologist in Portland, Oregon, a Private Practice Audiologist in Orlando, and an Educational Audiologist with Orange County Public Schools for 12 years before joining Florida Hospital. Her last ten years as an Audiologist have been spent at Florida Hospital serving adults and children of all ages. In 2004, she completed her doctorate degree from Arizona School of Health Sciences. Jane continues to serve the communities’ hearing healthcare needs at the Florida Hospital Hearing Center’s Orlando location.
Carol Johnson, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology – Altamonte Hearing Center
Carol Johnson is the Audiologist at the Florida Hospital Altamonte Springs Hearing Center. She became interested in Audiology as a result of her sister's studies in the same area. Carol majored in Communication Disorders and graduated with honors in 1997 from Florida State University. She went on to receive her Master's Degree in Audiology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Never one to stray too far from home, Carol returned to Florida where she was raised, and joined the Florida Hospital family in 1999. She earned her Doctorate in Audiology in 2006 from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. She specializes in fitting hearing aids, working with individuals with tinnitus and performing diagnostic testing of balance disorders.
Samer Abu Rahmeh, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA Doctor of Audiology – Lake Mary Hearing Center
Samer Abu Rahmeh, the world traveler, is originally from Lebanon. He started his Audiology career in Jordan, where he earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Audiology. Then, Samer completed his Master's Degree in Audiological Science from London University, England. He came to Florida Hospital after working overseas with the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf, a leading organization in promoting audiology, sign language and speech therapy in the Middle East. In April 2006, Samer obtained his doctorate in Audiology from Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Samer is currently residing in Orlando and is active in his church and coaches soccer. In his spare time, Samer enjoys crafts, art, cooking and exploring the state of Florida as a newly wed.
Jaime Brackett, Au.D., CCC-A Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Jaime Brackett received her doctoral education at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Undergraduate work in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and in the College of Gerontology was also completed at the University of Florida. Dr. Brackett received experience in many areas including the Veterans Administration System, and Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, prior to joining Florida Hospital in 2002. She has a special interest in Auditory Processing Disorders in children and adults and currently chairs the Auditory Processing Disorder committee at Florida Hospital. She currently sees patients in the East Orlando office. Dr. Brackett is married and has two children.
Carolyn A. Guarnieri, M.A., CCC-A Clinical Audiologist – East Orlando Hearing Center Carolyn Guarnieri has been with the Florida Hospital Audiology Team since March 2006 following her move to Central Florida with her family. Carolyn is originally from the greater Boston area (GO RED SOX) and has happily settled in to the warmth of sunny Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Boston University and her Masters degree in Audiology from the Ohio State University. Her professional background includes 16 years in a hospital setting at Southcoast Hospitals Group in Massachusetts developing the hospital’s first Audiology department as well as its first Newborn Infant Hearing Screening Program, as a Private Practice Audiologist with Milford Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians , and as a Rehabilitation/Educational Audiologist with Sargent Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Carolyn is presently working at the Florida Hospital East Hearing Center.
