Counting Paperclips?…….By Dr. Richard Reikowski, Au.D Family Hearing and Balance Center

This is an old phrase that I’m unsure isn’t often used anymore. It’s typically intended to mean someone who is sensitive to expenses, frugal, or  someone who has too much time on their hands that may focus on meaningless things.  How do you interpret the phrase?

To me, I can see it as a healthy way of ensuring how a person does things is based on responsibility of time, effort, and money resources. Of course, people can become over complicated and anal retentive. In our practice, we understand that patients are quite busy in their work, as well as personal lives, even if retired. We do our best in being responsible with time and arranging appointments best suited for their needs. In addition, and often very important to most people, is a persons finances and money.  In helping people to make the best decisions,  we are conscientious to make the recommendations, with regard to hearing and tinnitus, to what is feasible and fiscally responsible. Yes, we do count paperclips, per se, but most importantly we take the time to discern the need and place the patients quality of life first.  By counting paperclips, this allows us to offer lower prices and costs on to patients.