2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Congenital CMV Education Curriculum Development: Needs Assessment for Massachusetts Providers
Congenital CMV Education Curriculum Development: Needs Assessment for Massachusetts Providers
Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common infectious cause of birth defects in the United States and yet has the lowest level of public awareness when compared to other conditions. While cCMV infection cannot be cured, childcare behaviors can be modified during pregnancy to reduce the risk of CMV acquisition, and the burden of symptoms such as sensorineural hearing can be mitigated by early intervention strategies. These facts should be regularly and accurately communicated by medical providers to their pregnant patients, especially as more states adopt legislation requiring not only cCMV newborn screening but also prenatal education. In anticipation of such legislation pending in Massachusetts, we aim to create a continuing medical education cCMV curriculum for clinical providers in our state. We started by developing a survey to identify self-reported learner needs and format preferences for the curriculum, which was distributed to all clinical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants) in the UMass Memorial Medical Group. We found that the largest proportion of participants reported feeling “not very familiar” with cCMV and “not confident at all” in discussing cCMV with pregnant patients. Those who would likely use a cCMV education curriculum showed a clear preference for an online module or website. This local needs assessment survey confirms a clear need for cCMV education in Massachusetts and directs future work toward creating an online module for this curriculum.
- Appreciate the gap in knowledge and clinical confidence amongst Massachusetts providers relating to cCMV
- Determine the learning modality preferences reported by clinicians for cCMV continued medical education
- Predict next steps for cCMV curriculum development as well as its specific applications for Massachusetts providers
Presentation:
3478265_16379RebeccaSandvos.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Rebecca Sandvos
(Primary Presenter), Massachusetts CCMV Coalition , becki.sandvos@gmail.com;
Rebecca is a second year medical student at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. She is interested in pursuing pediatrics and has a passion for CMV advocacy.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Meredith Robison
(Co-Author), MED-EL Corporation, meredith.robison@outlook.com;
Meredith D. Robison, AuD, CCC-A, is an audiologist dedicated to supporting individuals of all ages, particularly those with medical and developmental complexities. She is passionate about improving access to and the quality of integrated hearing healthcare services. Currently, Meredith serves as a Surgical Account Manager with MED-EL Corporation, where she leverages her clinical expertise and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary education and collaboration to advance innovative hearing solutions and patient-centered care.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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• Receives Salary for Employment from MED-EL Corporation.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Financial relationship with MED-EL Corporation..
Nature: Receives salary for employment.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Laura Gibson
(Co-Author), UMass Memorial Health, laura.gibson@umassmed.edu;
Dr. Gibson is an Adult and Pediatric Infectious Disease physician at UMassMemorial Health and an Associate Professor of Medicine and of Pediatrics at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA. As a clinician, she serves a variety of patient populations, including people with a low immune system, pregnant women, and children. As a physician-scientist over more than 20 years, she also combines patient care with translational research. Her work focuses on CMV and other viruses in people who can develop severe illness, particularly infants with cCMV. She is leading the CMV Transmission and Immune Tracking (TransmIT) Study, a community-based collaboration with Moderna, Inc. to understand CMV transmission among young children in group care settings and the factors that might lower the risk of spread to pregnant caretakers. Dr. Gibson founded the Massachusetts Congenital CMV Coalition (MCC) and is currently serving as its President.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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AAA DISCLOSURE:
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