18th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 3-5, 2019 • Chicago, IL
Assessing the Acceptability of Georgia’s EHDI-IS (SendSS) to Improve Loss to Documentation
Timely reporting of hearing screening results is vital to ensure that infants are screened and given the resources necessary for optimal language development. All birthing facilities and audiologists in Georgia are mandated to report newborn hearing screening results and diagnostic test results for children ages 0-5. Results should be reported electronically into the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SendSS). Despite the mandate, lost to documentation remains a challenge for Georgia’s EHDI program. Entry of suspected or confirmed hearing loss in SendSS triggers an automatic notification to follow up coordinators indicating a child requires additional services. Children who are lost to documentation may experience delays in accessing services essential to social, cognitive and language development. To determine the factors detrimental to reporting into SendSS, a survey was completed by audiologists and other health professionals in the state of Georgia to determine their use and critiques of the system. Additionally, a facilitated discussion with Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) district follow-up coordinators was conducted to assess their perspective on the acceptability by users of the database. Forty-Five SendSS users reported that the program was an efficient way to report hearing results overall, but specific suggestions to increase reporting with SendSS, such as broader search options for children and stricter reporting criteria for hospitals, were offered. Implementation of specific reporting modifications through SendSS can decrease loss to documentation and follow-up with infants that may need early hearing intervention in Georgia.
- Identify the importance of reporting hearing screening data and its effects on loss to documentation and loss to follow up
- Apply self-reported survey and discussion results to evaluate reporting programs
- Propose strategies to increase use of reporting programs like SendSS
Poster:
18878_10328CeiaraHyde.pdf
Presenter: Ceiara Hyde
Ceiara is a public health professional who lives by hard work and dedication. She received her B.S in Biology from Savannah State University and her MPH from Mercer University with a certificate in Evaluation. Prior to employment with the Department of Public Health Ceiara worked at Delta Airlines for 8 years as an Airport Experience Specialist, during this time she also worked part time for Mercy Care as a Quality Improvement Assistant. Ceiara has over 6 years of public health experience in evaluation, health promotion, and quality improvement. One of her biggest achievements would be helping the CDC convert their data base into a searchable format. Ceiara is a community advocate who serves as a Girl Scout leader and often volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and C.H.O.I.C.E.S of Atlanta.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Erin K. Osborne is a program coordinator for the Newborn Screening Program within Georgia’s Department of Public Health. Erin has more than 5 years of experience with the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, as a local follow-up coordinator and health educator in one of Georgia’s 18 health districts working with children and families, as well as at the state-level working with health districts in quality improvement. Erin earned her Bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion from the University of Georgia and her Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Savannah Turk is a student at Georgia State University earning her Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management. Savannah is currently an intern for the Newborn Screening Program at the Georgia Department of Public Health working with the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. She earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia in International Affairs and Spanish.
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Nonfinancial -
Judith Kerr is the Child Health Screening Senior Manager at the Georgia Department of Public Health. In this role, she oversees programs for newborn screening (metabolic screening, screening for hearing loss and critical congenital heart defects) and developmental screening during early childhood, to strengthen the system of identification and referral for children at risk for poor health, behavioral or developmental outcomes. The goal of these programs is that children are identified and linked to care as early as possible so they may start school healthy and ready to learn.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Dr. Brandt Culpepper is the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program Team Lead at the Georgia Department of Public Health. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. from the University of Washington. She has more than 30 years of experience as an audiologist with interest in infant and pediatric audiology. She has worked in public health, clinical, medical, and academic environments. Dr. Culpepper has no financial interests in corporate organizations with products that may be relevant to presentation.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.