Now Hear This Audiology Highlights Karina Ealey’s Journey From Patient to Patient Care Coordinator

Now Hear This® Audiology highlights Karina Ealey’s patient care role and how her experience as a cancer survivor shapes her approach to supporting patients.

United States, September 14, 2026 -- Now Hear This® Audiology is highlighting the patient centered work of Karina Ealey, Patient Care Coordinator, whose own experience as a cancer survivor has shaped how she approaches the patients she serves as an audiology patient care coordinator.

Ealey (pictured far left) has been an employee of Now Hear This® Audiology for more than four years and is often one of the first people patients speak with or meet when they contact the clinic. Her responsibilities include helping with appointments, answering questions, assisting with insurance matters and guiding patients through the administrative side of care.

For Ealey, however, patient care is more personal than completing paperwork or managing schedules. Nearly 12 years ago, she became a patient herself after receiving an unexpected diagnosis of an aggressive form of breast cancer at age 45.

That experience changed how she understood healthcare and eventually influenced the way she connects with patients today.

Learning What It Means to Be the Patient

Ealey describes her cancer diagnosis as traumatic and unexpected. The experience brought fear, uncertainty and a demanding period of treatment, but it also led her to discover something about herself that she had not previously recognized.

When asked what she learned most about herself through the experience, Ealey answered simply, “I’m stronger than I thought I was.”

That realization became an important part of how she views difficult circumstances and the people who face them.

Her experience also taught her that every patient responds differently to illness, treatment and uncertainty. As a result, Ealey believes healthcare providers must recognize the individual behind the appointment and understand that each person may need a different kind of support.

Turning Personal Experience Into Patient Support

Ealey’s experience as a cancer survivor has particularly influenced how she connects with patients who are facing serious health concerns of their own.

When she learns that a patient has experienced cancer, she says she immediately feels a connection because she understands how overwhelming a diagnosis can be.

“My main thing is to basically let them know that I went through it and I got through it. And they can too,” Ealey said.

Rather than telling patients how they should feel, she focuses on listening, reassurance and helping them move through difficult moments one day at a time. On especially difficult days, she encourages people to focus on one hour or even one minute at a time.

Her objective is to help patients feel supported rather than isolated.

What Patients Need Beyond an Appointment

Ealey believes patients need more than an efficient administrative experience whenever they enter a clinic.

“They need someone to guide them through the process. They need help to understand what’s going on. Somebody who can be compassionate about what they’re going through, and not just think that they’re just another number,” Ealey said.

That philosophy affects how she approaches everyday interactions.

She pays attention to changes in a patient’s mood and demeanor, takes time to ask how someone is doing and offers assistance when a person is struggling. In some cases, that can mean helping complete forms when a patient has difficulty writing. In others, it may simply mean sitting with someone and listening.

Ealey describes this as a case by case approach based on paying attention to what each patient may need at any given moment.

A Patient Interaction That Reinforced Her Purpose

One experience in particular reinforced Ealey’s belief in the importance of listening.

A man came to the clinic after completing chemotherapy following a prostate cancer diagnosis. He was experiencing emotional difficulty and hearing concerns following treatment.

Rather than rushing through the interaction, Ealey gave him time to talk. As he shared what he was experiencing, she realized that he was not necessarily looking for an immediate solution.

“He just wanted somebody to hear him,” Ealey recalled.

The interaction stayed with her because it reflected something she had learned through her own healthcare experience. Sometimes support begins with allowing a person to speak openly and knowing that someone is willing to remain present.

“I like to take my time with them and let them know that I am here, and then any way I can help them, I’m gonna help them,” she said.

Creating a More Welcoming Healthcare Experience

Ealey also sees the environment of a healthcare practice as part of the patient experience.

She describes Now Hear This® as a welcoming and comfortable setting where small details can help patients feel at ease. Conversations, music and personal interactions can create moments of familiarity during what may otherwise be a stressful visit.

Ealey recalls one patient who heard Sade playing in the office. The song sparked memories for the patient and her husband, who had attended concerts by the artist together. According to Ealey, they left the office smiling and laughing.

For her, moments like that demonstrate how human connection can influence the way patients experience a healthcare visit.

Why Karina Ealey Keeps Coming Back

When asked what motivates her each morning, Ealey has a simple answer: “The patients! The patients!”

She says she enjoys meeting the people who come through the clinic and finds meaning in helping them navigate questions and concerns.

Her professional role has been shaped by both sides of the healthcare experience. She understands the administrative side from her previous work in healthcare insurance, while her own cancer journey gave her a personal understanding of vulnerability, uncertainty and the importance of being heard.

Today, Ealey describes herself as grateful for life, family and the opportunity to help others. Nearly 12 years after her diagnosis, she says she is cancer free and able to appreciate the everyday moments of smiling, laughing and being present.

That perspective continues to influence the way she approaches patient care at Now Hear This® Audiology.

About Now Hear This® Audiology

Now Hear This® Audiology provides hearing healthcare services with an emphasis on individualized patient care and education. The practice has been recognized as Raleigh’s Best for the past five years, with patient care and the work of team members such as Patient Care Coordinator Karina Ealey contributing to the clinic experience.

More information is available at Now Hear This® Audiology. The practice can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. For inquiries, contact [email protected].

Contact Info:
Name: Karina Ealey
Email: Send Email
Organization: Now Hear This® Audiology
Website: https://nowhearthisclinic.com/

Release ID: 89203185

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