From modest, sole-charge beginnings in 2004 to employing seven registered nurses working in nine clinics across Otago and Southland, Ear Health Otago Southland Ltd, which has its headquarters in Dunedin, has prospered and grown.
Working alongside hospitals' ear nose and throat clinics, general practitioners and some of the primary health organisations, Ear Health is a first point of contact.
There is no waiting list and it is a relatively inexpensive option for people with ear complaints.
Ear Health Otago Southland licenceholder Fran Grindlay said that as well as ear cleaning, the nurses were able to educate patients with chronic ear conditions on how best to improve ear health and could refer them to specialists.
While client growth had been strong over several years, the expanding business operated on a "break-even" basis.
Nurse training costs started at a minimum of $7000 and there had been an investment of about $100,000 in five new ear microscopes, annual licensing fees plus other equipment, cars and laptops, Mrs Grindlay said.
Business was quieter during the recession, as clients opted to have less frequent check-ups, but as a result some developed infections which went unchecked, she said.
Ear Health used a micro-suction instrument to clear ear-ways, as a safer alternative to the historic practice of ear-syringing with warm-water solutions.
The Dunedin clinic began with just a few clients in 2004, but had achieved about 30% growth for several years running, with average daily visits rising from 18 in 2006 to about 35 at present.
Mrs Grindlay said about 400 to 500 "recall" reminders were sent to up to 500 patients some months.
Ear Health had three nurses based in Hillside Rd in South Dunedin, one each in Oamaru, Central Otago and Southland, with the latter two providing clinics in Invercargill, Gore, Balclutha, Alexandra, Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell.
Most of them were available to go into community institutions. All the staff had to be registered nurses and undergo training in Tauranga then further on-the-job super- vision and assessment.
There were several similar businesses around New Zealand; based on the relatively new ear suction technique, but Ear Health was the largest and longest established in Otago and Southland.
The nurses could not prescribe drugs or undertake operations, but they could make referrals to doctors, specialists, audiologists, private hospitals or Dunedin Hospital's ear nose and throat clinic, where patients could be assessed for further treatment and operation waiting lists if necessary.
In many cases, ear-cleaning by suction revealed common problems, such as swimmer's ear or surfer's ear - a bone growth which could completely close the ear canal - or other infections.
