2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/16/2026 | 11:25 AM - 11:55 AM | Improving Timely Intervention Through Program Redesign and Family Navigation: A Collaborative Model for Newborn Hearing Screening Success | Clearwater
Improving Timely Intervention Through Program Redesign and Family Navigation: A Collaborative Model for Newborn Hearing Screening Success
Early identification and intervention are critical for children with hearing loss, yet delays in diagnosis and treatment remain persistent, especially in high-volume hospitals serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations. This presentation highlights a quality improvement initiative at a major birthing hospital aimed at reducing the age of intervention through system-wide redesign of its Newborn Hearing Screening program and the integration of a Family Navigator to support families every step of the way.
The hospital, which delivers over 400 babies monthly and includes a large NICU, transitioned its NBHS program to a centralized model designed to increase screening accuracy, reduce loss to follow-up, and ensure adherence to EHDI guidelines. Key improvements included real-time and efficient data tracking, standardized communication of screening results, and streamlined referral pathways for diagnostic testing.
A pivotal innovation to the program was the introduction of a Family Navigator -a dedicated professional who provides one-on-one support to families from the moment of a failed screen through diagnostic confirmation and intervention. This role coordinates multidisciplinary care, expedites scheduling and insurance approvals, ensures timely evaluations, and provides emotional support. Close collaboration between the audiologist overseeing the NBHS program and the Family Navigator created a seamless, family-centered care pathway that addresses both systemic inefficiencies and family-level barriers.
As a result, families are now better equipped to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system, leading to higher follow-up rates, earlier diagnoses, and improved caregiver confidence and satisfaction. Since implementation, the program has demonstrated measurable improvements in age of diagnosis, reduced treatment delays, and significantly greater compliance with EHDI benchmarks.
This presentation will share program data, explore implementation challenges, and offer strategies for replication. By uniting program redesign with family navigation, this model demonstrates how interprofessional collaboration can reduce disparities, accelerate access to care, and transform long-term outcomes for children with hearing loss.
- • At the end of the session, participants will be able to describe how program redesign of a hospital-based Newborn Hearing Screening program can reduce loss to follow-up and improve compliance with EHDI benchmarks.
- • At the end of the session, participants will be able to explain the role of a Family Navigator in facilitating timely diagnosis, coordinating multidisciplinary care, and supporting families through the intervention process.
- • At the end of the session, participants will be able to identify strategies for replicating a collaborative, family-centered NBHS model to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for children with hearing loss.
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Presenters/Authors
Samantha Espinal
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), University of Miami Children's Hearing Program, sgespinal@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Samantha Espinal is a pediatric audiologist and the newborn hearing screening coordinator at the University of Miami Ear Institute’s Children’s Hearing Program. She earned her clinical doctorate in audiology from Gallaudet University and completed her externship and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) training at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Samantha is passionate about pediatric audiology, early intervention, and improving healthcare accessibility. Her day to day practices includes pediatric diagnostics, ABRs, hearing aids, and bone conduction devices.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with .
Nature: .
Nonfinancial -
Non-Financial relationship with .
Nature: .
Chrisanda Sanchez
(Co-Author), University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology, cmsanchez@med.miami.edu;
Dr. Chrisanda Sanchez is a bilingual pediatric audiologist at the University of Miami. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and the Director of the Children’s Hearing Program at the University of Miami. Dr. Sanchez’s clinical career has centered around pediatrics, specializing in pediatric cochlear implants, hearing aids, and other implantable devices. Her research focuses on improving access to hearing healthcare for Spanish speaking patients and implantable devices, specifically targeting pediatric device implantation and outcomes.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from University of Miami.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Miami.
Nature: Employed by UM.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Leidy Lantigua Ogando
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology, lnl258@miami.edu;
Leidy N. Lantigua Ogando, BA, is the first Senior Patient Navigator at the University of Miami’s Department of Otolaryngology - Children’s Hearing Program. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida International University and is in the process of completing her Master of Social Work at Florida State University. Her professional background includes extensive experience within the child welfare system in the state of Florida, where she served as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer & case manager, behavioral health intern, and mentor. At the Children's Hearing Program, her primary role includes supporting our newborn hearing screening program and all families referred for cochlear implant evaluation.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Miami- Children's Hearing Program.
Nature: Employee- Senior Patient Navigator .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.