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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Utilizing Local Public Health; Closing the Gap in EHDI Follow-up' Track: 1-EHDI Program Enhancement Audience: Primary Audience: Secondary Audience: Tertiary Audeince: Keyword(s): follow-up, public health nurse Learning Objectives: 1)Explore how EHDI programs can work with and enhance existing local public health systems to facilitate rescreening, diagnosis, and connections to intervention for children with hearing loss. 2)Identify tools (web-based and traditional) that educate and assist pubic health partners to close the gap in EHDI follow-up. 3)Explore strategies that improve state’s tracking and follow-up systems. Abstract: An emphasis of all state EHDI programs has been to ensure that appropriate follow-up occurs among children who do not pass a hearing screening or who are diagnosed with hearing loss. However, many babies who do not pass the screen continue to be lost to follow up, and there are significant problems linking children with hearing loss to early intervention, medical home, and family supports. Clear opportunities for improvement exist in the development of efficient models to ensure follow-up care for these children. Recent tests using quality improvement methods have indicated that local pubic health agencies served approximately 80-85% of children “lost” to Minnesota’s EHDI Surveillance System in one or more existing local public health programs. As a result, the state EHDI program employed an existing system and proven model in which they contract with local public health agencies to provide case management to facilitate and document hearing rescreening, diagnosis of hearing loss, and a connection to services/supports such as Early Intervention. Robust multi-level support was gained through concerted communication efforts. Over 90% of public health agencies in the state have contracted with the Department of Health, have trained staff, and are currently providing EHDI follow-up for children “lost” to the system or that have a confirmed hearing loss. Preliminary findings from this effort suggest that not only significant improvements have been made in decreasing rates of lost to follow-up/documentation but gaps in the system have been identified and coordination between families, public health, Part C and primary care providers have improved. This presentation will share strategies used to engage local partners in closing the gap in EHDI follow-up, describe web-based and traditional training methods used to prepare public health nurses to provide EHDI follow-up, and share further results from this enhanced follow-up effort. Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Nicole Brown - Minnesota Dept of Health      Credentials: MSN, PHN, CPNP      Other Affiliations: Public Member, Board of Governors American Board of Audiology       Nicole Brown is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and has worked in Minnesota’s Maternal and Child Health/Public Health field for over 17 years at both the state and local level. She is Minnesota’s EHDI Coordinator responsible to provide long-range planning and direction for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a statewide EHDI system for children once they are identified with hearing loss. Nicole served as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Improving the Effectiveness of Newborn Hearing Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention. She works with NCHAM as Quality Improvement Advisor and is the parent of two children who are deaf. Kirsten Coverstone - Minnesota Department of Health      Credentials: AuD       Kirsten Coverstone, AuD is Minnesota's EHDI statewide program Coordinator responsible for program planning, implementation, & evaluation of screening through diagnosis. She has focused her career specifically in the areas of newborn screening, diagnosis and follow-up. With a strong passion for quality improvement, she provides education and support to parents, professionals, and communities on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention.   AUTHOR(S): Nicole Brown - Minnesota Dept of Health      Credentials: MSN, PHN, CPNP      Other Affiliations: Public Member, Board of Governors American Board of Audiology       BIO: Nicole Brown is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and has worked in Minnesota’s Maternal and Child Health/Public Health field for over 17 years at both the state and local level. She is Minnesota’s EHDI Coordinator responsible to provide long-range planning and direction for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a statewide EHDI system for children once they are identified with hearing loss. Nicole served as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Improving the Effectiveness of Newborn Hearing Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention. She works with NCHAM as Quality Improvement Advisor and is the parent of two children who are deaf. Kirsten Coverstone - Minnesota Department of Health      Credentials: AuD       BIO: Kirsten Coverstone, AuD is Minnesota's EHDI statewide program Coordinator responsible for program planning, implementation, & evaluation of screening through diagnosis. She has focused her career specifically in the areas of newborn screening, diagnosis and follow-up. With a strong passion for quality improvement, she provides education and support to parents, professionals, and communities on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention.