Serving Berkeley and the East
Bay since 1955. Independent and audiologist-led. Every patient receives a comprehensive
functional evaluation — not a screening — followed by a concise written report returned to
your office within 48 hours
Clinical Leadership
Jonathan Lipschutz, MS & AAA Clinical Director
Clinical Profile:
Jonathan Lipschutz has practiced audiology for three decades and has owned and operated Berkeley Hearing Center since 2014.
Every evaluation, fitting, and long-term care decision is made by a licensed audiologist with advanced clinical training.
Patients referred to Berkeley Hearing Center (BHC) are evaluated and treated directly by an audiologist, not delegated to support staff.
The evaluation is conducted, interpreted, and reported by the clinician, with a concise written summary returned to your office within 48 hours.
For complex cases or patients in whom you want to discuss the referral before it is confirmed, Jonathan is available for a direct conversation. Call 510-841-0681.
Services
Comprehensive Hearing Assessments — Full diagnostic evaluation of hearing function, communication ability, and auditory health.
Advanced Hearing Aid Technology — Premium-tier technology from every leading manufacturer, verified for the patient’s specific hearing profile.
Tinnitus Solutions — Evaluation and management of tinnitus, including sound therapy and counseling strategies.
Musician Specialty Care — Hearing protection, baseline evaluation, and audiological care for professional and amateur musicians.
A Comprehensive Functional Evaluation
Independent Clinical Judgment
An independent practice with no manufacturer quotas or production targets. We work with every leading manufacturer and fit only premium-tier technology, selected solely on the basis of what best serves the patient.
The Evaluation
A 90-minute evaluation including otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry (air and bone conduction), speech audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflexes, speech-in-noise testing (AzBio Sentences), and otoacoustic emissions. A concise written clinical summary is returned to your office within 48 hours.
Real-Ear Verification
When amplification is recommended, devices are verified against the patient’s measured hearing profile using real-ear measurement, confirming the device delivers what was prescribed. Many practices rely on manufacturer programming alone and do not verify output; we always do.
A patient came to us having worn hearing aids for several years. She had been seen at two other practices and had come to believe the problem was her hearing — that no device could help enough.
Real-ear measurement at her initial evaluation revealed that her devices had never been verified against her actual hearing profile. The programming error was significant. After verification and correction, her word recognition in quiet improved from 14% to 88%.
The issue was not the severity of her hearing loss—it was that her devices had never been verified against her measured hearing profile. This is why verification matters, and why the evaluation a patient receives determines the outcome of everything that follows.
Hearing Loss & Cognitive Health
The 2020 Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention identified hearing loss as the leading modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline.
Mild hearing loss doubles dementia risk; moderate loss triples it; severe loss is associated with a fivefold increase.
Early identification and treatment can reduce listening effort and help maintain communication, social engagement, and cognitive resilience.
When the auditory system requires effortful processing, more cognitive resources are devoted to perception and less remain available for memory and executive function.
A diagnostic referral is appropriate for any patient with suspected hearing difficulty, regardless of whether they have tried hearing aids before.
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a medical emergency.
The window for effective steroid intervention is typically 72 hours from onset.
If you suspect sudden hearing loss, rapidly progressive loss, or acute auditory symptoms, call our office directly. We prioritize urgent referrals and will reach you the same day.
Direct line: 510-841-0681
Referral Logistics & Coordination
John Chakan - Managing Director
Your patient will be contacted within two business days to schedule their evaluation.
For concierge and direct primary care referrals, scheduling is prioritized — typically within five business days.
A concise written clinical summary is returned to your office within 48 hours.
If the evaluation raises findings that warrant your direct attention, we will call your office the same day.
For logistical questions or to discuss the coordination of complex patient care, John is available to ensure a seamless referral process.
Refer a Patient
We value collaborative relationships with physicians throughout the East Bay and are happy to discuss the clinical picture before a referral is confirmed.
