Reducing Lost to Follow-up: It Takes a Village Establishing Otoacoustic Emissions Screening in 10 Pediatric Offices
Presented by: Stacy Jordan and Dr. Linda Hazard
When: December 10th, 1:30 ET
Where: Adobe Connect
Abstract
In Vermont and nationally, newborn hearing screening has been provided, monitored and tracked for many years. All Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs strive to achieve these common goals: screen by one month, diagnose by three months, and enrollment in early intervention by six months. For many years Vermont has successfully screened over 90% of our births. What we are still working deligently on is decreasing our lost to follow-up after hosptial discharge. Over the years we have used various strategies and community partners to help screen and rescreen our newborns as outpatients. Initially these were provided by the birth hospitals or by a local audiologist in the community. Even with these services being offered families still did not follow through with scheduling and/or attending ouptatient screening appointments. Our EHDI program launched a PCP pilot project in 2011 to bring Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) screening equipment to 10 pediatric practices state-wide. Our goal was to decrease our lost to follow-up by having hearing screenings offered during routine appointments. This presentation will share the successes and challenges of working with pediatric practices. We will share our approach to training, on-going support both technical and clinical as well as feedback from these pilot practices from a satisfaction survey. We anticipate the information shared in this presentation to be helpful to states interested in expanding community partnerships in delivering outpatient hearing screenings. This informaton will also be helpful to medical providers looking to add hearing screening to the services they offer in the medical home.
Bio
Stacy Jordan is the Project Coordinator for the Vermont Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program (VTEHDI) and state representative on the Audiology Advisory Council for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Employed by the only tertiary hospital in the state and contracted to the department of health. Member of the state Hearing Advisory Council and Speech Language Hearing Association (VSHA). Her various positions over the last thirteen years have been directly related to EHDI at the state and national levels. She established and coordinated the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening program at the state's tertiary hospital, provided screenings to children birth to eight years old state-wide for a mobile clinical program called the Hearing Outreach Program (HOP) and directed Vermont's EHDI program for five years.
Dr. Linda Hazard is currently the Director of the Vermont Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. Employed by the only tertiary hospital in the state and contracted to the department of health. Member of the state Hearing Advisory Council and Speech Language Hearing Association (VSHA). Dr Hazard has a doctoral degree in Leadership and Social Policies. Prior to her position at VTEHDI Dr. Hazard worked for Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Americas and was the Director of Audiology and the Cochlear Implant Program at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont.
