18th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 3-5, 2019 • Chicago, IL
New York Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program and Newborn Screening Program Collaboration
The New York Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (NYEHDI) Program is working to reduce the loss to follow-up after a referred newborn hearing screening to ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention services. A key goal of this program is to improve the communication between stakeholders, which include birthing hospitals, audiologists, primary care physicians, parents, and the NYEHDI Program.
The medical home is a critical partner in the EHDI system of care. Informing physicians of referred newborn hearing screening results is an evidence-based practice known to reduce loss to follow-up. The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility and success of partnering with the Newborn Screening Program to notify a medical home of an infant’s hearing screening result for infants who do not pass their newborn hearing screening to improve loss to follow-up.
With the support and guidance of the NYEHDI Advisory Team, the NYEHDI Program is collaborating with the Newborn Screening Program to utilize NeoMetrics Information System to generate automated letters to physicians. The NYEHDI Program sent letters (n=445) to physicians of all infants born in the first quarter of 2017 lost follow-up. Many phone calls, audiologic reports, and other communication were received from physicians statewide in response to the mailing.
A high rate of success has been achieved through this project. Families were connected with needed services and the medical home for these infants has an increased awareness of the need for timely follow-up. Anecdotal information reveals a need for increased education and training of physicians about appropriate next steps and timely follow-up. Subsequent to the mailing, a significant percentage of infants were scheduled for follow-up diagnostic evaluations. A small percentage of infants had already received follow-up and documentation was subsequently added to the information system which increased the completeness and accuracy of the NYEHDI Program data.
- Participants will understand the importance of communication between stakeholders to ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention services
- Participants will understand the importance of the medical home in the EHDI system of care
- Participants will understand the feasibility and the success of partnering with the Newborn Screening Program
Poster:
18878_10287MichaelahTownley.pdf
Presenter: Lori Iarossi
Lori Iarossi is the Program Coordinator of the Early Detection and Intervention Program. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Management and Economics from Empire State College with a concentration in Information Systems and more than 25 years’ experience in the New York State Department of Health. She oversees the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) grants and all funded activities. She serves as liaison with parent and professional groups to support the goals of the EHDI program including Hands & Voices, Parent to Parent of NYS, Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf, National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Directors of Speech and Hearing Programs in State Health and Welfare Agencies (DSHPSHWA) and Joint Committee on Infant Hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Michaelah Townley is the Follow-up Coordinator of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. Michaelah has a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University at Albany School of Public Health with a concentration in Social Behavior and Community Health. Michaelah works with birthing hospitals, audiology clinics, primary care providers and families in New York State to assist with providing support to the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Public Health Law reporting mandate to ensure infants who are deaf or hard of hearing are identified at the soonest possible time and receive appropriate early intervention services.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Sharon Wu is the Data Coordinator for the New York Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Beth Vogel is the program manager of the New York Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetics and Newborn Screening Services (NYMAC). She also serves as a Newborn Screening Follow-Up Services Supervisor at the David Axelrod Institute-Wadsworth Center, Department of Health, New York.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Michele Caggana is the Director of Newborn Screening Program, Deputy Director of the Division of Genetics, and the Head of the Genetic Testing Quality Assurance Program at the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health. Michele also co-directs the New York Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetics and Newborn Screening Services (NYMAC).
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Constance Donohue is the Director of the Bureau of Early Intervention at the New York State Department of Health.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -