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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Improving Loss to Follow-up Rates, Establishing Pediatric Audiological Diagnostic Center Guidelines for 2011 ' Track: 2-Audiological Assessment and Intervention Audience: Primary Audience: Secondary Audience: Tertiary Audeince: Keyword(s): audiology, pediatric, diagnostic, hearing loss Learning Objectives: Will learn strategies to involve the audiological community in developing state guidelines and establishing systems to collect and review pediatric audiological diagnostic center protocols Abstract: Establishing systems to ensure infants and their families receive appropriate pediatric audiological diagnostic testing when an infant does not pass a newborn hearing screening or has identified risk indicator(s) for hearing loss is an important function of an effective Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) statewide program. Documenting follow-up data is essential to understanding the challenges and successful characteristics of each state system. When states cannot document that infants received appropriate diagnostic or intervention services they can be referred to as “lost to follow-up or lost to documentation”. Lost to follow-up or lost to documentation means that states cannot be sure infants and their families received appropriate services in connection with the Healthy People 2010 Objectives 28-11 (Developmental) Increase the proportion of newborns who are screened for hearing loss by age 1 month, have audiologic evaluation by age 3 months, and are enrolled in appropriate intervention services by age 6 months. Incomplete documentation of data can hinder program staff in performing effective outreach to families, therefore further delaying diagnosis of hearing loss. This poster will outline the process Massachusetts embarked upon to update audiological diagnostic center guidelines in compliance with established EHDI goals and objectives and the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing 2007 Position Statement. The audience will learn strategies to involve the audiological community in their state in developing guidelines and establish systems to collect and review pediatric audiological diagnostic center protocols. It will demonstrate through MA program data how having a statewide list of approved centers can improve outcomes. The importance of on-going communication with the audiological community in the state will also be conveyed. Handouts: Handout is not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Janet Farrell - Department of Public Health      Credentials: BA      Other Affiliations: DSHPSHWA, New England Regional Genetics Group       Ms. Farrell is the Program Director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She is also the Project Director of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement and Maternal and Child Health grant. She is a senior manager in the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Program in MA. Sarah Stone - MA Dept. of Public Health      Credentials: BBA       Sarah Stone, Program Coordinator, Massachusetts Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program is dedicated to ensuring effective communication with families, birthing hospitals and audiological diagnostic centers. Ms. Stone has been instrumental in developing scripted messages and program materials that assist families and providers in understanding the EHDI goals and objectives. She has a background in public policy and business.   AUTHOR(S): Rashmi Dayalu - Massachusetts Department of Public Health      Credentials: MPH       BIO: Rashmi Dayalu, MPH, BS is the Epidemiologist for the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She is responsible for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, interpretation and dissemination to federal and state partners. Rashmi received her MPH in Epidemiology in 2007 with a concentration in Global Health from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She received her undergraduate degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington, Seattle. Janet Farrell - Department of Public Health      Credentials: BA      Other Affiliations: DSHPSHWA, New England Regional Genetics Group       BIO: Ms. Farrell is the Program Director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She is also the Project Director of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement and Maternal and Child Health grant. She is a senior manager in the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Program in MA.